Drug Punishments
In 1972 President Nixon declared a war on drugs, which has been an ongoing attempt by the government to stop drug use in the United State using any means necessary. Billions and billions of dollars have been spent to fight this “war,” including over one billion dollars a year paid by tax payers, which is used for various prisoner expenses.
Hundreds of thousands of non-violent offenders are incarcerated each year in the U.S. for drug related crimes. The rights of many people who have been arrested and convicted of drug crimes are violated by law enforcement agents, including illegal search and seizures.
People who serve prison terms for drug related crimes are often given a longer sentence than other offenders, such as people convicted of assault, burglary, and car theft. These unfair sentencing practices take individuals convicted of drug crimes out of society and away from their families and children for years. Therefore, convicted persons are missing out on important events and the chance to have healthy and happy relationships with their friends and family members.
Drug penalties in the United States are very strict, and although recent legislations have been passed to alter drug laws and punishments, anyone who is found guilty of a drug related crime still runs the risk of imprisonment and fines. If you have been charged in California with drug possession, drug trafficking, drug distribution or manufacturing, or any other drug related crime you should contact a reputable Los Angeles drug crime lawyerimmediately to keep you out of jail.
The following laws and punishments may relate to alleged drug related crimes:
Title 21, Chapter 13, Subchapter I, Part D, Section 841a of the Controlled Substance Act, states that any person who possesses specified large amounts of PCP, cocaine, heroin, LSD, or marijuana, a mixture containing any of the named substances, or a derivative of any of the named substances shall be penalized with a prison term of at least ten (10) years and a fine of up to four million dollars.
Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, was passed in the State of California in 2000. This act gives individuals who are first or second time offenders of non-violent crimes the ability to undergo drug treatment rather than face imprisonment. Some of the forms of drug treatment that may be an option include detox, substance abuse education courses, and inpatient substance abuse treatment.
Drug penalties and drug laws can be very confusing, especially with changes in legislature and appeals of current laws. With the addition of California’s Three Strike Law, people who are convicted of crimes are receiving longer sentences if convicted of a second or third felony. In California, a conviction that results in a third strike carries with it a life sentence.
The Los Angeles drug crime defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf have unbeatable strategies and superior knowledge that will help you keep your freedom! We are skilled in all areas of drug and criminal laws and know how to use them to your benefit.
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