CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

The criminal justice system consists of 3 main parts:

1. Law enforcement agencies
2. Courts and accompanying prosecution and defense attorneys
3. Agencies for detaining and supervising offenders, such as jails, prisons and probation agencies

In the criminal justice system, these distinct agencies operate together as the principal means of maintaining the rule of law within society. Below is information about those detained in US and Texas, their characteristics and impact of drugs on the community.

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United States

• 5% of world’s population, yet almost 25% of world’s prisoners
• 2.2 million in prison or jail
• 4.8 million on probation or parole
• 1 in 110 adults (> 18yr) are incarcerated, 1/23 Black, 1/56 Hispanic, 1/147 white
• 9.6% of the incarcerated are women
• Over 50% have some form of mental illness
• Annual spending on incarceration is about $80 Billion

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Texas

• 1 in 25 adults are in prison, jail or on supervision (parole or probation)
• TDCJ operating budget for 2014 was just over $3.2 billion

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Characteristics of the Incarcerated

• Reared in a fatherless household
• Physically or sexually abused as a child or young adult
• Drugs and alcohol prevalent in the home
• School drop-out without completing high school
• No faith development in the home

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Drug Epidemic & Community Impact

• US consumes 60% of world’s illegal drugs
• $100 billion spent annually on cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine
• 16% have used cocaine and 42% marijuana at least once
• 70% of inmates addicted to or abuse drugs/alcohol
• 20% under influence of drugs/alcohol at time of their crime
• Only 11% of inmates with an addiction receive treatment
• 2.7 million children have parent in prison (1 in 14 had a parent incarcerated at one time)
• Upwards of 50% are at high risk to become future prisoners