DECRIMINALIZATION OF PETTY OFFENCES

Introduction
When the court system withdraws penalties related to petty offenses, the act referred to as
decriminalization ( Keehn, 2018). Some of the petty crimes under the category include drug
abuse and drug trafficking penalties. Consequently, as the local authorities try to reduce the
occurrence of petty offenses such as petty theft and drug use, they are challenged with the kind
of results they get. For instance, in 2015 alone, research reveals more than 1.5 million drug
abusers and traffickers were arrested ( Keehn, 2018). The war against petty offenses such as drug
trafficking and abuse, petty theft started in the year 1970s, though they have increased over time.
These happen in that it is common to come across poor and productive individuals who abuse
drugs and traffic. On some occasions, the penalties for petty offenses such as drug trafficking
and theft might be life imprisonment or prolonged jail terms. The courts are ever full just with
petty crimes such as drug possession.in this essay, I would discuss some of the reasons why the
government must remove some of the penalties related to petty offenses rather than imposing
them on the accused.
Body
Decriminalizing petty offenses such as abuse of drugs and possession of illegal drugs
may result positively in society. Decriminalization ensures the wellbeing of society's health when
an investment made on the treatment. Decriminalization would help in reducing the number of
people arrested( Keehn, 2018) since some of the people arrested for petty offenses do have
families that depend on their source of income. Again, legalizing the use the crimes such as
drugs does not mean a drastic increase in the number of smokers. Ideally, the cases of cancer
patients reduced when people are allowed to commit such crimes. The reason being that they will
tend to behave more responsibly and reduce consumption. The decriminalization would help the

DECRIMINALIZATION OF PETTY OFFENCES 3
country to save on the cost of Operation in the courts. The price of Operation reduced in that
amount of money. The collected amounts could be used in other developments by the
government and by the potential offenders to improve lives.
Moreover, the amounts shifted from the criminal justice systems to the health sectors.
Decriminalization would help a country to diminish disparities based on race enforcement as
well as sentencing. When petty offenses such as drug abuse legalized, society would learn to
welcome drug users. Unlike currently, members of the community reject drug
users(Natapoff,2015. Those living with diseases such as HIV/AIDS should as well get the help
that makes them brave of getting medication and treatment.in addition, the relationship between
the general public stakeholders of enforcing the law. Decriminalization would help the accused
to refrain from many harmful consequences associated with petty offense conviction.
Similarly, many other countries have made a step towards decriminalization in the past
few years. Notably, many factors determine the effectiveness of the approaches. Some of the
factors include the quantities used to define the personal possession of individuals who
participate in petty offenses such as abuse of drugs. The decriminalization determined by the
level by which the policy concedes with the list related to health. Mexico is an example of a
country where decriminalization did, and it is remarkable since the rules determining possession
of drugs increased. The steps are to tighten regulations governing the use of drugs so many
people arrested in Mexico for breaching the petty drug crimes. Such persons have summoned for
breaking drug laws.
Moreover, countries such as Mexico have also failed to invest in reducing of harm of the
drug users. Portugal made even the reduction of the injury. Contrastingly, countries such as the
Czech Republic have made many investments in the health sector, aiming at the cut and

DECRIMINALIZATION OF PETTY OFFENCES 4
treatment of persons who abuse drugs. The government of Czech decriminalized personal drug
possession. Just a few years after the transition of the collective. However, in the year 1990, the
government of Czech added more restrictions on the law governing personal drug use
(Natapoff,2015). The only surprising issue was that the number of drugs possessed by an
individual was not defined. The research was conducted by the government of Czech, which
revealed that the harms and penalties associated with a petty crime could not be justified. The
country adopted quantities to be possessed by an individual, and the limits were so pragmatic.
According to research, the effect brought along social advantages to the lives of the
accused persons. The reason being that the offenders of drug abuse welcomed into society. The
situation is different in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, there is a policy that prevents the
prosecution of an individual. With a petty offense, such as possession of a small number of drugs
for personal use. Besides, the kind of penalties rendered to the persons found with minor
criminal and civil cases. The rate of petty offenses such as theft and possession of illegal drugs is
slightly lower in the Netherlands than in the united states of America. In the other countries of
western Europe, the situation is the same. As a result of decriminalization, the Dutch have levels
of petty offenders (Woods, 2015). For instance, drug users and traffickers of heroine are lower
than those found in the United States of America. Due to the decrease, the number of youth using
drugs for purposes of committing a crime also reduced in the country. Colombia is another
country that decriminalized a small amount of marijuana possession. After that, a bill was passed
that saw the treatment of small amount drug users. In Argentina, the government also so the need
for the decriminalization of personal drug use. The Supreme Court referred to the criminalization
as being unfair and unconstitutional. These were being that an individual is allowed by the law to
use drugs.

DECRIMINALIZATION OF PETTY OFFENCES 5
Conclusion
The petty offenses under the category include drug abuse and drug trafficking penalties.
Consequently, as the local authorities try as much to reduce the occurrence of petty crimes such
as petty theft and drug use, they are challenged with the kind of results they get. For instance, in
2015 alone, research reveals more than 1.5 million drug abusers and traffickers were
arrested(Woods, 2015). Decriminalization would help in reducing the number of people
detained. Some of the people arrested for petty offenses do have families that depend on their
source of income. Again, legalizing the use the crimes such as drugs does not mean a drastic
increase in the number of smokers. Generally, decriminalization is an act that should be done by
the government. Decimalization would relieve the accused of burden related to filling of cases.
Some of the expenses that could reduce.

DECRIMINALIZATION OF PETTY OFFENCES 6

References

Keehn, E. N. (2018). Decriminalization and the UN Human Rights Bodies. Harvard Law School
Human Rights Program Research Working Paper Series, HRP, 18-002.
Natapoff, A. (2015). Misdemeanor decriminalization. Vand. L., Rev., 68, 1055.
Woods, J. B. (2015). Decriminalization, police authority, and routine traffic stops. UCLA L.
Rev., 62, 672.