Drug misuse and abuse can act on the brain and affect how it functions, causing high-risk individuals to portray aggressive and extremely violent behavior. People with expensive cocaine and heroin habits tend to commit violent crimes to enable them to secure the resources they need to further their costly drug habits. Narcotic drug dealers, in particular, conduct their trade with extreme violence. The violence does not stop once they go to jail as long as they still have access to illegal drugs. Learn more about Jefferson County Missouri jail in Hillsboro.
The misuse of drugs, such as heroin and narcotics, is a major challenge facing the criminal justice system. It is prevalent in jail and significantly contributes to violence and crime. It also creates vulnerability within prisons, which can threaten the safety and ability of prison staff to carry out their duties more effectively. It is not possible to improve safety and prevent reoffending without reducing drug misuse in prisons. Authorities cannot tackle serious, organized crime without first tackling drug misuse in prison. This is a complex issue that requires coordination to help limit the supply and misuse of drugs in and outside of prisons. The approach to tackling the issue should examine the problem in its entirety.
The magnitude of the drug problem has become even more significant in recent years, as a larger percentage of inmates test positive for ‘traditional drugs’. Psychoactive substances like synthetic cannabinoids have worsened the situation, as they are used in conjunction with other drugs. The patterns and prevalence of drug misuse witnessed in prisons are shaped by those in the community, as those who enter prison already have an existing drug misuse problem. In some communities, the drug misuse issue has been normalized. The misuse of substances contributes to a cycle of violence and disruption, leading to a lack of purpose, which can also encourage inmates to turn to substance misuse.
The supply and use of drugs can also result in debt, which can be a significant cause of disruption and violence in prison. Inmates are often subjected to intimidation and self-harm, which can endanger the lives of staff and other inmates. The availability of substances in prison is a threat to public safety and security, making it hard for prisoners with drug problems to recover whilst providing an opportunity for other prisoners to develop drug misuse problems. Therefore, minimizing drug misuse in prison is an important part of prison safety and rehabilitation of prisoners.
Drugs enter the prison walls of Jefferson County Mo jail in various ways, including the front gate, over the perimeter, deliveries by drones, and through visits. Elicit mobile phones are often used to arrange these deliveries, as phones have become even smaller and much harder to detect using out-dated scanning tools. So, the use of technology in creating barriers to drug supply is important in the fight against drug misuse and drug violence in the Jefferson County Mo jail.
Clearly, drug violence is a major problem in today’s justice system. While drug testing plays a crucial role in helping to understand the prevalence of substance misuse in prison, not much has been done to reduce drug violence in jail. However, a coordinated effort between prison staff and other government agencies can help detect and reduce drug misuse and violence in jail if modern technology is also incorporated.
