Classmate Discussion Responses-

Topic:

Presently, a person who is using drugs or alcohol and is apprehended on the streets will probably serve time in jail or prison (there is a difference, jail is 1 year or less, prison is more than 1 year). Some politicians and other social agencies believe this is not an offense against the county or state but a disease. Are both of these crimes against society? If yes, why? If no, why?

All discussion post must include citations, list references, NO ABSTRACT and you cannot say "I agree". You must reply to three of your classmates. A minimum of 150 words each.

Textbook for CRJ4500: Goode, E. (2015). Drugs in American Society. [9th ed] Stony Brook University: New York, New York: McGraw Hill Education.

1st Person Abby:

In my opinion, the abuse of alcohol and drugs is both a disease and a crime against society. It is hard to say that they fall in one category or another because these issues aren't black and white. Addiction is complex and ugly. More often than not, those who become addicted to drugs or alcohol were predisposed to them from a very young age. The cycle of addiction perpetuates when the child or children are given no other option. For this reason, addiction is a disease. Some use alcohol and drugs to mask other issues and some fall into the habits out of peer pressure. Whatever way people arrive at drug addiction, it consumes them. Drugs and/or alcohol become their food, their water, their medicine, their friend, and their life. The answer to addiction is not always jail or prison time. I have said before that I believe getting to the root cause of the abuse and addiction can help in the treatment a reformation process.

On the other hand, if and individual gets drunk or high, gets behind the wheel or a car and hurts or kills someone, that individual absolutely deserves to be punished, especially if this is not their first offense. A habitual offender who eventually kills someone because of their addiction is an epic failure of the system. This is why I preach about getting to the root cause. There should never be an addict with 10 dui's or dwi's on there record, and then on the 11th time someone ends up dead. From the very first offense, a red flag should be raised and they should be offered help to beat their addiction. I pray that the future of criminal justice offers a more solid and sense-able responds to these issues.

2nd Person James Dixon:

I do not believe that these are crimes against society. Drug addiction should be treated as a mental disorder, not a crime. As we have seen with the Reagan administration's "war on drugs" combined with Clinton's "three strikes" rule, prisons are overcrowded and there has not been a significant drop on drug use. I agree with what countries such as Portugal have done with the decriminalization of drugs. It is legal to possess drugs, but it is still illegal to sell and traffic. This makes perfect sense because it does no good to lock away the individual who is addicted to drugs and getting high and then expecting them to stop. In many cases, the addict is unable to stop without treatment. Some people say things such as, "Well, drugs cause people to act crazy, or assault people, or steal from people". So does alcohol, it also tears families apart and accounts for numerous DUI related deaths every year, so why is it legal? The point is, it is time to try something new, stop seeing an addict as a criminal and start seeing them as someone who needs help.

3rd Person Heather:

There are several things to consider when responding to this discussion question. First, to determine whether it is an offense against society depends on who was harmed by the behavior. When people under the influence of drugs present a danger to others, then they absolutely should be arrested and spend time in jail or prison. For example, driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious and potentially deadly offense. Another example of a justifiable arrest is when people are using in public and disturbing the peace. In these circumstances, I think people should go to jail first to sober up and experience consequences of their actions, and then mandated to substance abuse treatment. In addition, whether a person is a repeat offender should be considered when making decisions regarding punitive actions. However, when the addict is the only person being harmed, such as when police find homeless people passed out on the sidewalk, I think these people should be taken directly to a crisis center to sober up and then offered or mandated treatment.

Criminal sanctions should not be entirely dismissed from cases involving drug use and abuse, as they are certainly beneficial to addicts. The consequences of staying the same have to be greater than the consequences of change before recovery can take place. Therefore, legal consequences help addicts like me "hit rock bottom" so they are willing to make a change. However, it is crucial treatment is offered or mandated. Addiction is a disease and must be treated as such. Abstinence from drug use is not the same as recovery. When I got out of jail, I went right back to active addiction. Only through treatment was I able to learn how to live without the use of drugs.

ASSIGNMENTS/RESEARCH: ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST HAVE THE CORRECT TITLE PAGE, AN ABSTRACT AND A REFERENCE PAGE AND MUST BE IN THE CORRECT APA 6TH EDITION FORMAT. IF THIS DOES NOT APPEAR YOUR PAPER WILL NOT BE GRADED.

Topic:

Write a 1-2 page essay that compares and contrasts the four processes of sculpture (carving, casting, modeling, and assemblage) using specific examples of at least one artist associated with each method. Discuss the styles materials, and processes associated with these processes.

Add'l References:

1. Connect to the following web links and read the articles about the camera obscura and the photographers Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dorothea Lange and Jacques Louis Mande

Daguerre. Camera Obscura

Alfred Stieglitz
The Daguerreotype
Ansel Adams and the Sierra Club
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc.
Dorothea Lange

2. Read the following articles based on information presented in the lesson.

David (Michelangelo)
Auguste Rodin: Monument to the Burghers of Calais
Over The River.