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Drug Policy as a Cause of Violence: The Drug War in America and Implications for Europe1

Drug Policy as a Cause of Violence: The Drug War in America and Implications for Europe1 54 D. Cheatwood Drug Policy as a Cause of Violence: The Drug War in America and Implications for Europe1 1. INTRODUCTION For over ten years the United States has been engaged in a vigorous War on Drugs, un- matched in its political rhetoric, moral fervor, or criminal justice commitment since the early years of the American prohibition of alcohol. That 'war' has not only been fought in the United States, but pressure has been brought against most other nations to adhere to policies favored by the United States in regard to drugs. In the past few years, however, voices have been raised which question the effectiveness and the practical, moral and constitutional ef- fects of that war. This article explores some of the lessons from the American war on drugs as they may apply to Europe. The specific focus is on the relationship between the war on drugs and the most extreme form of criminal violence - homicide. Based upon both theory and data derived from the ten year American experience with the drug war, we argue that the attempt to reduce criminal violence through a criminal justice based attack on drugs may not only have been an http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Brill

Drug Policy as a Cause of Violence: The Drug War in America and Implications for Europe1

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1995 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0928-9569
eISSN
1571-8174
DOI
10.1163/157181795X00358
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

54 D. Cheatwood Drug Policy as a Cause of Violence: The Drug War in America and Implications for Europe1 1. INTRODUCTION For over ten years the United States has been engaged in a vigorous War on Drugs, un- matched in its political rhetoric, moral fervor, or criminal justice commitment since the early years of the American prohibition of alcohol. That 'war' has not only been fought in the United States, but pressure has been brought against most other nations to adhere to policies favored by the United States in regard to drugs. In the past few years, however, voices have been raised which question the effectiveness and the practical, moral and constitutional ef- fects of that war. This article explores some of the lessons from the American war on drugs as they may apply to Europe. The specific focus is on the relationship between the war on drugs and the most extreme form of criminal violence - homicide. Based upon both theory and data derived from the ten year American experience with the drug war, we argue that the attempt to reduce criminal violence through a criminal justice based attack on drugs may not only have been an

Journal

European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 1995

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