REFERENCE BOOKS -- CIRCULATING BOOKS -- ONLINE REFERENCE -- PRO'S & CONS ONLINE

Books in the MSHS Library

The library has many books on drugs  and crime.  They can be found in the non-fiction, Dewey section of the library with call numbers 610-619 (medicine) and 362-364 (social problems and criminology).  Many of these books present several viewpoints on whether or not the legalization of drugs would reduce crime.  Titles listed below are just a sample of what is available.

Reference Collection

REF 317.3 HOV    Congressional Quarterly’s state Fact Finder, 2000 : rankings across America.    A compilation of statistics presenting data for the fifty states and the District of Columbia on such topics as population, health, government, education, and crime.  

Ref 362.29 Sta  Statistics on alcohol, drug and tobacco use : a selection of statistical charts, graphs, and tables about alcohol, drug, and tobacco use from a variety of published sources with explanatory comments. 1996.   

Ref 364 Cri  Crime : is it out of control?. 1994. Crime statistics and types of crime in United States. Information on juvenile crime, victims, jails and prisons, crime and drugs.  

Ref 364 Cri  Crime : a serious American problem.  1996.  Complete statistics on crime and victimization. Pictures the growing problem of violent juvenile crime and reveals the close connection between drugs and crime.  

Ref 365 Pri   Prisons and jails: A deterrent to crime?  1995.  A compilation of current findings, statistics, graphs and charts on prisons and jails including such topics as: history of corrections, expenditures, jails, prisons and prisoners, characteristics of state prisoners, juvenile confinement, youth facilities, probation and parole, alternative sentencing, prison overcrowding, health of inmates, prisoners' rights, etc.  

Ref 370.19 Edu  Education : is it improving or declining?  1994.  Education statistics for money spent, enrollment, attendance, drop outs, substance abuse, crime in schools, special needs students, college and universities enrollment.

Ref 615 Gri   H. Winter Griffith, Complete guide to prescription & nonprescription drugs. 1997. Contains warnings and vital data for safe use of over 5,000 brand-name drubs and over 7000 generic drugs.  

REF 615.78 Mil   Richard Lawrence Miller, The encyclopedia of addictive drugs. 2002.    Contains alphabetically arranged entries that provide information on more than 130 addictive drugs, each with a pronunciation key, list of nicknames, and discussion of uses, drawbacks, abuse factors, drug interactions, and potential to cause cancer and birth defects. 

Circulating Collection

303.3 Gol    Michael Golay, Where America stands 1997. Opinions on hot topics such as gay rights, gambling, smoking and drinking, the war on drugs, crime and punishment and more.

363.4 Joh  Joan Johnson, America's war on drugs. 1990. Examines American efforts to thwart the attempt of drug suppliers to smuggle illegal substances into the country.  

363.4 TER  Susan Neiburg Terkel, Should drugs be legalized?  1990. Discusses the history of drug laws in the United States and examines the possibilities of drug legalization

364.1 Ter  Susan Neiburg Terkel, The drug laws : a time for change?  1997. A study of the continuing debate over legalizing drugs, which considers legal, moral, economic, and health-related aspects of the issue.  

364.2 Bay   Linda N. Bayer, Drugs, crime, and criminal justice.  2001.  Provides an overview of the history of illegal drugs in the U.S. and around the world, explores the link between drugs and crime, discusses the failure of the so-called war on drugs, and explores alternatives to dealing with the problem.  

364.2 Mil   Maryann Miller,  Drugs and violent crime. 1996. Discusses the dangers associated with drugs including the connections between drugs and violent crime.  

364.973 Pet   David Petechuk,  Crime : is it out of control?   2001.  Presents essays, charts, and tables on topics related to crime, including types of crime, influences, the National Crime Victimization Survey, programs for victims, juvenile crime, jails and prisons, drugs, and public opinion.
 

Online Reference Sources

KCLS databases (you need a KCLS library card to access these valuable resources) From the KCLS homepage, click the folder tab “Databases,” then select Homework Resources.  This will lead to a list of databases.  Two good ones to use for this topic are CQ Researcher and Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.  http://www.kcls.org/

ProQuest and eLibrary are online databases with journal articles -- both very good

Questia online library, book collection on drug legalization http://www.questia.com/library/sociology-and-anthropology/criminology-and-crime/illegal-drugs/legalization-of-drugs.jsp

Gallup Organization for public opinion polls http://www.gallup.com/

Hot topic pathfinder from the Library of the Institute of Governmental Studies, University of California, “Medical Marijuana in California” with links to other more general websites http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/library/htMedicalMarijuana2003.html
 

Organizations &
U.S. Government Agencies
Argue their Viewpoints

American Academy of Pediatrics, “Periodic Survey of Fellows:  Members divided on legalizing of marijuana: Periodic Survey” http://www.aap.org/research/periodicsurvey/ps31.htm

American Academy on Addiction Psychiatry, 1990 resolution on the legalization of drugs, http://www.aaap.org/policies/legalization.html

Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers, Why The US Should Not Legalize Marijuana For Medical Or Recreational Use, March 30, 2005, by Roger Morgan http://www.dammadd.org/absolutenm/templates/?a=13&z=

Drug Free American Foundation, Inc. “Medical Excuse Marijuana” 2004. http://www.dfaf.org/marijuana/excuse.php

Drug Prevention Network of the Americas http://www.dpna.org/drugissues/legalizationwont.htm

Uncommon Knowledge, 2003–2004 #815: Just Say Yes? Filmed on August 26, 2003. http://www.uncommonknowledge.org/800/815.html

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Partners for Substance Abuse Prevention homepage, http://preventionpartners.samhsa.gov/default.asp

U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, “Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization,” http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/demand/speakout/
 

Individuals Argue their Viewpoints

Close to Home:  Moyer’s on Addiction – Has the War on Drugs Reduced Crime? “Yes” and “No” viewpoints.  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/closetohome/viewpoints/html/crime.html

Editorial: The Natural History of Substance Use as a Guide to Setting Drug Policy, by Lee N. Robins. From The American Journal of Public Health. January, 1995. Vol. 85. No. 1. pg. http://www.drugtext.org/library/articles/naturalh.html  

James C. Paine, U.S. District Court Judge, a speech to Harvard Law School, Drug Policy Conference, on legalization of drugs with respect to crime, http://www.vcl.org/Judges/Paine_J.htm

Lemke Journalism Department, University of Arkansas. “Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Use” by Carol E. Rachal http://www.uark.edu/misc/observa/rachal.html

Attitudes towards drug legalization among drug users, by RobertoA. Travino and Alan J. Richard, American Journal of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, February 2002. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0978/is_1_28/ai_83661748#continue

Testimony on "Drug Legalization" by Alan I. Leshner (Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) Before the House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, June 16, 1999.  http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t990616b.html

STATEMENT of David Boaz, Executive Vice President, The Cato Institute, On Drug Legalization, Criminalization, and Harm Reduction before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources Committee on Government Reform United States House of Representatives. “Drug Legalization, Criminalization, and Harm Reduction” June 16, 1999 http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-dbz061699.html