Harm reduction, not abstinence, should be the goal of drug treatment Essay

Harm reduction, not abstinence, should be the goal of drug treatment in the criminal justice system. Discuss - Essay Example cause they can permanently affect the functioning of the brain, impairing judgment and leading the users into doing things that are not intended for the users. Finally, it leads to addiction whereby the person so addicted cannot function without drugs, and they may find themselves engaging in criminal activities o as to access the drugs when they do not have the money to purchase the drugs. Drug addiction and use also lead to conflicts with relations and strained relations between family and friends because the person using the drugs may act in ways not acceptable to the family and friends. Most of the psychoactive drugs are in many jurisdictions, and continued use may end up exposing the person to jail terms and fines. There are many offenses that are to drug use and possession, and it is of interest for any jurisdiction to control the possession, use and consequences of the drug use. Criminal justice system is the systems that have been put in place by a government to control limit and eliminate criminal activities in a jurisdiction, and it is usually an arm of the state. The criminal justice system is enforced using public resources, and, therefore, the most economical and equally effective policies should be adopted for the common good of the nationals of the jurisdiction (Berridge, 245). In order to properly understand this essay, it is important to highlight the delinquent repercussions of drug use and how the same can affect the individual. Drug use and possession are illegal in many jurisdictions, and thus if a person is found to have used the drug, they will be forced to face criminal consequences. Drug possession is meant to curb those who possess the drug for onward transmission to the users or those who are holding the same before they use. Therefore, the state does not have to prove that one actually used the drug for one to be prosecuted. There are also those offenses that are by the persons in the process of obtaining drugs, depending on the