The Lockdown Summary and Analysis

The War on Drugs is more than a simple pronouncement; it is a complex system with multiple rules and regulations. It was authorized by the federal government, protected by the court system, and is executed by local law enforcement agencies. Hundreds of thousands of people are arrested every year for drug offenses, many through specially designed police tactics. For example, the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights is supposed to protect American citizens from "unreasonable search and seizure" by government authorities. In order to sidestep this protection, however, police implemented the "stop-and-frisk" tactic to search anyone "suspected" of engaging in drug activity. If somebody acts, talks, or moves suspiciously, it is grounds for police inspection. Additionally, police use routine traffic stops to pull people and search vehicles, called "pretext stops." This means that anyone who has a broken...