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Meth Wars: Police Media Power (Alternative Criminology 11)

Felipe Blair

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The "meth war" is a term coined in the United States to describe the government's aggressive campaign against the production, distribution, and use of methamphetamine. This campaign has been characterized by harsh drug laws, increased police enforcement, and a media-driven moral panic about the drug's dangers.

The meth war has had a profound impact on individuals, communities, and the criminal justice system. It has led to the mass incarceration of people of color, the erosion of civil liberties, and the militarization of law enforcement. It has also failed to reduce the production and use of methamphetamine.

Policing the Meth War

Meth Wars: Police Media Power (Alternative Criminology 11)

Meth Wars: Police, Media, Power (Alternative Criminology Book 11)

by Travis Linnemann

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	280 pages

The meth war has been a boon to law enforcement agencies. The federal government has provided billions of dollars in funding for drug enforcement, and police departments have used this money to purchase new equipment, hire more officers, and conduct more raids.

As a result of this increased enforcement, the number of people arrested for drug offenses has skyrocketed. In 2009, there were over 1.6 million drug arrests in the United States. Of these arrests, over 50% were for possession of methamphetamine.

The vast majority of people arrested for drug offenses are people of color. In 2010, African Americans were arrested for drug offenses at a rate that was 3.6 times higher than the rate for whites. Hispanics were arrested at a rate that was 1.8 times higher than the rate for whites.

The meth war has had a particularly devastating impact on rural communities. In these communities, police departments often have few other resources to address crime, and they rely heavily on drug enforcement to generate revenue. As a result, rural communities have been hit hard by the meth war, with high rates of drug arrests, incarceration, and poverty.

Media Amplification of the Meth Panic

The media has played a major role in amplifying the moral panic about methamphetamine. In the 1990s, the media began to publish a series of sensational stories about the dangers of meth. These stories often focused on the drug's supposed ability to cause psychosis and violence.

The media's portrayal of meth as a dangerous and addictive drug helped to fuel public support for the war on drugs. Politicians seized on the media's coverage of meth to pass harsher drug laws and increase funding for law enforcement.

The media's focus on meth has also led to the stigmatization of people who use the drug. Meth users are often portrayed as criminals or addicts, and they are often denied access to housing, employment, and healthcare.

Alternative Criminology and the Meth War

Alternative criminology offers a different perspective on the meth war. Alternative criminologists argue that the meth war is not a legitimate response to the problem of drug use. They argue that the meth war is a political and economic project that has been used to justify the expansion of the criminal justice system and the repression of marginalized communities.

Alternative criminologists offer a number of different explanations for the meth war. Some argue that the meth war is a product of the drug war's failure. The drug war has been a costly and ineffective way to reduce drug use, and the meth war is simply a continuation of this failed policy.

Others argue that the meth war is a form of social control. The meth war is a way to target and punish marginalized communities, particularly people of color and the poor. The meth war is a way to criminalize poverty and to maintain the status quo.

Alternative criminologists also offer a number of different solutions to the problem of drug use. They argue that we need to decriminalize drug use and focus on harm reduction strategies. They argue that we need to invest in education and treatment programs, and we need to provide housing and employment opportunities to people who are struggling with drug addiction.

The meth war is a complex and controversial issue. There is no simple solution to the problem of drug use, and the meth war has only made the problem worse.

Alternative criminology offers a different perspective on the meth war. Alternative criminologists argue that the meth war is a political and economic project that has been used to justify the expansion of the criminal justice system and the repression of marginalized communities.

Alternative criminologists offer a number of different solutions to the problem of drug use. They argue that we need to decriminalize drug use and focus on harm reduction strategies. They argue that we need to invest in education and treatment programs, and we need to provide housing and employment opportunities to people who are struggling with drug addiction.

Meth Wars: Police, Media, Power (Alternative Criminology Book 11)

by Travis Linnemann

4.3 out of 5