Consider the following argument: There are many arguments for
the elimination or modification of current U. S. drug laws, but one
of the most persuasive involves what negative effects drug laws are
having on society in comparison with the effects of the drugs
themselves. In the past ten years, most forms of drug use have
dropped significantly, especially among teens. Despite this,
non-violent drug offenders accounted for 21.1 percent of the
federal prison population. First-time drug offenders serve, on
average, a sentence three months longer than kidnappers, nine
months longer than burglars, and thirty-three months longer than
sex abusers. In 1992, the average cost of keeping an inmate in
either state or federal prison was about $20,000 per prisoner per
year. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the
world, with 455 prisoners per 100,000 population. It is maintaining
these prisoners at great expense in an environment where they are
unlikely to develop a socially constructive attitude. Perhaps it is
time that we reconsider our attitudes toward those who choose to
use drugs; failure to do so may cost society even more than it
already has. Determine whether or not the argument uses any
deceptive statistics. Give your opinion on whether or not the
argument has persuaded you. Explain why or why not. Determine the
primary ways in which statistics or authority are used in your
current position in developing persuasive arguments, and provide
examples of such use.
Field of study:
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