Crime is an unnatural phenomenon. Man is not meant to be criminal. Proof of this may be the bad conscience, offenders often have when they commit a crime - at least in the beginning. The reason for breaking the law can be envy (wanting what others have), laziness and greed (getting rich quickly without putting in the efforts first), or just not caring for the rules, society has set for everybody.

I think taking drugs cannot be regarded as a criminal act in itself (but making, distributing and pushing hard drugs is). Even cigarettes and alcohol are certain kinds of drugs. However, many people on hard drugs like marihuana or heroin or when taking the new artificially produced drugs can become criminals over time by committing criminal acts to get money for maintaining their habit.

Young people might start taking drugs as teenagers by curiosity and/or peer pressure or they think it’s ‘cool’ and ‘everybody does it’. Over time they get addicted and it becomes a habit. Hooked on drugs, they feel bad, always need new money for more drugs and may consider themselves inferior because of their contemptible lifestyle.

Both crime and drugs not only make the lives of these people miserable, but they also cost the society a high price. The drug takers usually feel unwell and sick, often don’t work and are therefore unproductive; they steal, rob money and valuables from others. By doing so, they often damage or destroy property (e.g. when stealing from cars or breaking into houses) and thereby cause a lot of trouble and inconvenience for their victims.

What are the building costs for a prison? Many millions! How much does it cost to keep a criminal in jail? At least $70,000 a year. And what are the costs of all the police involved in law enforcement plus their gear and devices? More huge costs! Altogether, the problem of drugs and crime amounts to many billions of dollars for an average country!

Since acting as a criminal and being on drugs is unnatural, there should be solutions to solve this problem. In the following I will suggest some ideas and concepts about how to deal with this. (Please consider that the suggestions are mostly unusual for making an impact, since normal concepts haven’t worked so far.) I would be happy to help anybody with providing more ideas and concepts including preparing a detailed plan as described on my web page World Problems .

Ideas and concepts for solving the problem

1. Reduce supply of natural drugs

1. Help farmers that produce drugs with growing other profitable (but drug-free) crops, give their communities free machinery and fertilizer and guarantee them a minimum price for their products.

2. Offer the current 'drug lords' amnesty for their crimes and let them keep their possessions. They can help the farmers marketing their products with a profitable share for themselves.

3. 'Drug lords' and farmers involved have to sign a contract for complying with the law and to agree to a supervisory body and its decisions, if they want amnesty and the above-mentioned benefits. 

4. Offer smaller drug traders also amnesty and let them keep their possessions. Give them other profitable jobs they are good at and let them sign a similar contract.

2. Reduce supply of artificial drugs

1. Make a list of all possible ingredients for making artificial drugs (like ecstasy and ice).

2. Producers of such substances have to register their names and details, the quantities of their products and sales of them together with the buyers' names in all involved countries. These countries have to make a prior corresponding agreement with each other.

3. Offer current laboratories (making the drugs) and drug traders amnesty with the right of keeping their possessions if they come forward with information. Offer them also profitable other positions and/or orders they can fulfil.

4. They have to sign a contract as above and agree to getting supervised to a certain degree.

3. Reduce demand for drugs

1. There should be comprehensive education in schools about the damaging effects of taking drugs.

2. A vaccine for making the human body intolerant against certain drugs should be developed and students be vaccinated with such a serum at an early age. Taking part should be voluntary but incentives given.

3. People already on drugs should be given the same treatment together with incentives and be offered fulltime jobs.

4. Prevent crime in early stages

1. As with drugs, schools should teach students from an early age about the damaging effects of crime on people and the whole society.

2. There should be close contacts between school and parents to recognize any early tendency for criminal behaviour of a student.

3. Provide enough jobs for unemployed youth (e.g. even as carers), subsidised by the government if necessary.

4. Offer prisoners opportunities to learn a trade during their prison time or to get some useful education. Give them jobs immediately afterwards in order to prevent them becoming criminals again.

5. There should exist social people ex-prisoners can trust and confide in (taking the current system further). These people can be ex-prisoners as well (might be an advantage). They should support and help them with obeying the law.

 
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