Abstract
Organized crime is presently the most critical problem for the criminal justice system in the United States. These crimes pose a serious threat to society. However, while all forms of crime have an impact, nothing beats the threat caused by illicit drugs. In fact, illicit drugs have a serious impact, including health, low productivity, and costly treatment. It is also the basis for other criminal activities in the society. Hence, while other criminal activities such as trafficking of human and other goods and services have a threat to the society, it is not as serious as the challenges associated with the illicit drugs.
The Threat from Illegal Drugs
Introduction
The problem of drugs in society has become a complicated issue for the criminal justice system in the United States. In the country, like many others, the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs is the most money-spinning and widespread organized crime. The business is revealed to generate about $110 billion in profits per year (Martin, 2014). Trafficking and distribution of the drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana is the leading criminal justice system than any other crime in the country. While trafficking of other goods and services and humans also have a serious impact on society, the illicit drugs business has worse effects because it is the basis for the propagation of other organized criminal activities.
Organized criminal activities, perpetrated on a global level are serious problems in the country. Trafficking of drugs, humans, and weapons among other crimes are causing uproar among policy makers and the members of the public because of the economic and other effects they have on the nation. Each of the criminal activities has its effects and poses considerable threats to society. However, there is no doubt that the problem of illicit drug is the most critical because the impact it has on its own and as the pre-condition for the other kinds of crime. The problem of illicit drug is affecting the society directly because of the loss of productivity (Martin, 2014). The problem of drug is encouraging addiction and other health problems to the youth and the most productive members of the society. There is no other crime that has such a direct impact on society. The nation spends millions of dollars in programs aimed at treatment and support for the youth affected by the problem.
The illicit drug business is also the reason for the increase in other types of crime because it is the driving force behind them. The young people in the country are not only wasting away because of addiction related to the illicit drugs, but they are also involved in other gang criminal activities (Lyman, 2013). Human trafficking and trafficking of other goods and services is among the criminal activities that thrive in the same environment as the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs. The illicit drug business is the most lucrative of these other crimes, and in most cases, the other offenses always take place behind the illicit drug business. Also, in most cases where the criminals engage in the other forms of trafficking, they are also involved in drug trafficking. Drug trafficking becomes the building block on which the other criminal activities are founded. Probably, there would not be most of these criminal activities without being fueled by drug trafficking.
Conclusion
Organized crime has serious impact on the contemporary society. While there are many forms of the crime with different levels of impact on society, trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs is the most lucrative, widespread and with the most impact compared to other forms of organized crime. The impact of trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs is huge, ranging from the health effects on the individual to the economic impact due to loss of productivity and treatment. In addition, illicit drugs are mostly the driving force behind other criminal activities. Evidently, while the other forms of crime have an impact on society, there is none that matches the impact of illicit drug business.