Does American Society Relay On Law Enforcement Too Much To Fight Crime

In the United States Americans might vote for a politician who will hire more law enforcement to cut crime. It is correct Mayor Rudy Giulian reduced crime in New York with smart law enforcement leadership in the 1990s. However, are there different methods to cut down crime such as intelligent lawmaking.

When we examine American history, there are many examples of laws that would have put an individual in jail or prison, but no longer the case because it’s now legal. Here is a list of examples what use to be illegal and now is legal in society.

1. Alcohol Industry
When lawmakers make something illegal, which people desire, it usually creates a black market. For example, this is what happens when the 18th Amendment was passed into law to make alcohol illegal. The mafia took advantage of this law by selling, manufacturing, and distribution of liquor illegally. This criminal organization became so powerful that it increase law enforcement presence to combat alcohol. As a result, law enforcement presences increase because the government at the time made alcohol illegal, which increase crime. However, that changed when the 21st Amendment was passed into law making alcohol legal once again in American society. By making alcohol legal, it reduced crime, made a billion dollar industry, and creates millions of jobs for the economy history.com. Today, law enforcement presence is limited to DUI and gang activity is down. A swat team doesn’t enter your home to confiscate 15 bottles of wine because it is legal.

2. Adult Entertainment Industry
Before legalized pornography, most people would go to jail for shooting video or photos of sexual content. In some states, you could receive 25 years just for shooting video of adults having sex. Because it was illegal at the time, people would operate unlawful pornography businesses, which increase crime but increase law enforcement presence too. However, once it became legal, it is no longer a crime. As a result, criminal activity went down, and law enforcement presence is limited because it is legal today. It wasn’t like the past where law enforcement would crack down on every illegal pornography business. Today, the Adult entertainment industry is worth 10 billion dollars and has created jobs for the economy.

3.Marijuana Industry
The Marijuana industry is still illegal on the federal level under the control substance act. However, it has become legal for recreational use in 9 states. When marijuana was banned in these states gang activity would increase at the same time law enforcement presence would increase too. However, that is changing because if more states legalize it and it becomes legal on the federal level, the same effect will happen just like alcohol and the Adult entertainment industry. The marijuana industry is projected to grow to 60 billion dollars in wealth and create a lot of jobs for the economy. At the same time by legalizing weed it will reduce crime because it is legal, but law enforcement presence will be limited.

In the end, good lawmaking and lousy lawmaking can make the critical difference in crime and law enforcement activity. By just changing the law it can drastically cut crime, and law enforcement presence because the law has changed. However, all these industries are regulated and legal, which means there is still government oversight, but not at the level when it use to be completely illegal. This is just a different way to fight crime by reviewing what laws are on the books that might be increasing crime, which also raises law enforcement presence.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency.

1.https://www.history.com/topics/18th-and-21st-amendments
2.http://upfrontpolitics.com/legalizing-marijuana-for-recreational-use-will-improve-our-economy/
3.https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/things-are-looking-americas-porn-industry-n289431