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An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System - Illicit Drugs and Young Offenders

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An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System - Illicit Drugs and Young Offenders
2.0 Executive Summary
In this report, the contemporary legal issue of illicit drugs and young offenders has been discussed and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the criminal justice system when dealing with this issue has been conducted. The issue of illicit drugs and why the consumption of these drugs is dangerous to Australian youth is explored and the Australian law that deals with psychoactive drugs and young offenders is also stated. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the criminal justice system when dealing with young offenders will be conducted by discussing by discussing it in regards to accessibility, equality, protection of rights, resource efficiency and enforceability. It is concluded that the criminal justice system is not effectively dealing with young offenders in relation to illicit drug crimes. 3.0 Australian Youth and Illicit Drugs
Drugs are substances that change a person’s physical or mental state. This definition can be split into substances that are legally prescribed by medical professionals and substances that are illegally used to affect the mind (referred to as illicit or recreational drugs) (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Australia, 2011). The prohibition of psychoactive drugs has caused the production and consumption of such drugs to be driven underground and has fostered the development of a criminal industry that is corrupting civil society and governments. This multi-million dollar industry is not regulated by the government, allowing for the drugs to be produced at any quality or quantity and allowing young Australians to have easy access to illicit drugs.
This is an issue because young people who are caught with these drugs can be charged criminal and this ultimately leads to their futures become much more difficult due to the legal implications of the matter (Australia21, July 2012). Abuse of such substances also has a very negative effect to a person’s health, especially to young people as they are in
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