Prisons and the War on Drugs

Drug abuse has been defined as a significant social problem. This discussion provides an opportunity to examine this problem as well as the consequences of our reliance on punishment as a solution to drug abuse.

After viewing the required video for this discussion, please answer each of the following questions:

Discuss the differences between a culture’s folkways, mores, and taboos.
Why are some deemed infractions of normative expectations termed criminal and others social?
How does this definitional process lead us to incarcerate fellow citizens?
What sociological factors contribute to the criminalization of individuals in society? Explain your answer.
Does the seriousness of drug abuse justify our reliance on the social consequences of incarceration?