Criminal justice practitioners are necessary for a civilized society. Without those who form boundaries to our freedom, and the ones that reinforce those laws, our community would be chaos. Some of the main social issues our society faces are drug abuse, gang violence, child abuse, and terrorism. The criminal justice practitioners face these types of issues daily. These professionals must act on the morals and laws stated by society rather than their own opinions, sometimes facing hard decisions. The criminal justice field is always active and busy, dealing with countless amount of criminal activity throughout the country. Drug abuse affects America severely. It is one of the biggest threats to America, warranting illegal actions of its citizens. Transporting and the consumption of drugs are illegal and is a crime in itself. Those who are associated with drugs are linked to a line of crimes. Once addicted to a drug they will do anything to acquire more, resulting in thievery, and may cause violence. Across the country, there are illegal distributions to drugs, guaranteeing crime and following those involved. One of the crimes that follow drug abuse is gang violence. Gang violence has become monumental in some parts of America, forcing criminal justice professionals to diminish the amount of violence by bringing down powerful gang leaders. Gang violence is involved in several types’ of criminal activity. For example, many members are initiated into the gang after committing rape, murder, or drug dealings. Gang violence directly affects and corrupts the troubled youth in America. Putting a stop to gang leaders can take many years and uses up a significant amount of resources. This does not stop gang violence but reduces it in that area during the current period. There are always other gangs waiting to claim a territory and start recruiting, requiring officers and other forms of authority to keep track of
References: Costin, Lela. (1996). The Politics of Child Abuse in America. Oxford, New York: Published by Oxford University Press. Retrieved from Kaplan University’s library at: http://books.google.com/books?id=B70rt3SyhtkC&pg=PA40&dq=Effects+of+child+abuse+in+America&hl=en&sa=X&ei=bpJ1UrbkOvLdsATO54DwAw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Effects%20of%20child%20abuse%20in%20America&f=false. Horwitz, B. (2010). The Role of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD): Confronting the Problem of Illegal Drugs in the Americas. Vol.52 (Issue 2), p139-165. Retrieve from Kaplan University’s library at: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/detail?sid=d045ea7c-e3f3-4aff826223f78598d9e9%40sessionmgr11&vid=13&hid=101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=bth&AN=50826105. Katz, Charles, Webb, Vincent. (2006). Policing Gangs in America. Cambridge, New York: Published by, Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from Kaplan University’s library at: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzE0NjE4NF9fQU41?sid=497034da-b427-4712-ae4b-ee7a6c633b97@sessionmgr115&vid=3&format=EB&rid=16. Kevin, Borgeson, Robin, Valeri. (2009). Terrorism in America. Published by Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Retrieved by Google Scholar at: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=nuCGVxJGPs0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Terrorism+in+America&ots=cwrYl-sRmr&sig=TfFelxe-ZxGIdjkC1eMpPHGY9Bc#v=onepage&q=Terrorism%20in%20America&f=false.