Law and Policy: Modern Enforcement, Prosecution, and Sentencing
The enforcement of U.S. drug and alcohol laws has been a major priority for police and prosecutors since the 1980s. Law enforcement has devoted considerable resources to the prevention of drugtrafficking. People who drink and drive and people who use illegal drugs face increasingly strict punishments for violations of criminal law.
Modern methods for enforcing drug laws and prosecuting offenders have changed in several ways:
- State legislatures have increased the penalties for drug trafficking and for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- The U.S. Congress has made drug trafficking penalties more severe.
- Congress passed a law in 2000 that requires states to lower the legal limits of alcohol in the blood as a way to discourage drunk driving and to increase arrests of drunk drivers. States that fail to do so will lose federal highway funds.
- Sentencing laws requiring prison terms for violators have aided the enforcement effort. Under these laws, judges do not deter- mine sentencing. This gives more power to prosecutors, who can influence the severity of the punishment based on the criminal charges they bring.
- Because legislatures have become dissatisfied with the juvenile justice system, many juvenile violators have been brought into the adult criminal justice system.
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