November December 2010 Ld

Fall 2010 Negative


“Law enforcement plays an important role in the drug treatment court
program. It is important for judges to keep people in incarceration if treatment
ails." f
Because I agree with the U.S. department of justice, I negate the resolution, Resolved: The abuse of illegal drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice. For clarity, I present you with the following key definitions. Illegal drug: A class of consciousness-altering drugs that operate at a high efficiency. (Princeton University Dictionary) Ought: Indicating a moral obligation (Merriam-Webster) Drug Abuse: Habitual use of drugs to alter one's mood, emotion, or state of consciousness. (Dorland’s Medical Dictionary) Public health: The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society. Criminal justice: A generic term for the procedure by which criminal conduct is corrected. In the context of the resolution, this can include, but is not limited to, things such as incarceration or mandatory rehab.
The resolution specifically uses the term “illegal drugs” which means that whichever system we use, drug use will remain illegal. That is why my value is Societal Welfare. Since the resolution is not focussing on the legality of drugs, the debate is about how we best treat this illegal activity so that the least harm will come to society.
My criterion is Justice. In the context of the resolution, the best way to promote societal welfare is through justice. Justice is best achieved by punitive aspects and the recidivism prevention of the criminal justice system. Contention 1: Drug use leads to addiction, rendering conventional solutions to public problems ineffective without criminal justice.
Many illegal drugs have strongly addictive qualities. An addict deeply wants to continue using a drug. The only way to overcome this desire to use the drug is through some... [continues]

Read full essay