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Drug
crimes become one of the serious social problems in the U.S region. The
Federal Bureau of Prison data in last October 2015 showed that 48.3% of
federal inmates in U.S are sentenced because of drug offenses. The one
of the factors which can help to reduce the drug crime problem is drug lawyer. What is their role?
The Drug Penalties in U.S
In
the U.S, drug crimes see as health issue rather than a crime. It is
because the perspective that people use drugs and alcohol as the way of
dealing with their economic troubles such as stress of unemployment and
financial insecurity. The law covers the crime of illegal drugs such as
marijuana, cocaine, heroin methamphetamine, and LSD. The drug crime
cases are divided into drug possession charges, drug distribution
charges, and/or drug related offenses.
The range of drug
penalties is different depends on the cases and the states regulations.
The lightest penalty is simple drug possession sentences carried by
personal drugs use. They will face hundreds to thousands dollars fine
and jail time between 30 until 40 months. Depends on the situation,
people who get caught selling and distributing drugs will face sentences
in jail for 3-9 years. The penalty for selling drugs to minor is
heavier about 10 years and more in jail. The heaviest penalties and
considered as federal crime is smuggling drugs into United States. The
criminals will be sentences in jail for more than 20 years.
The Drug Lawyer Role
The
possible cases of drug abuse which can be taken by the drug lawyer are
lack of intent and knowledge, possession for personal use, entrapment,
and also infancy for individuals under 16 years old. The general role of
drug lawyer is to help the defendants to avoid or reduce the jail time.
They
believe that the drug addicts and abusers need help and treatment not a
heavy punishment. Under the rules, lawyer should protect the rights of
the accused. They need to make sure that their defendants get the fairly
treatment from criminal justice system. Especially for innocent accused
or entrapment cases, drug lawyer has the most important role. They need
to prove that their defendant is innocent and free from the penalties.
If
you can’t pay them by their high hourly bills, you can hire them to get
a consultation. By getting consultation, you can understand what will
happen to you in the court and what will you get by your crime. The
lawyer at least can give you suggestion, so you can defend yourself.
Can I Get Free Drug Lawyer?
In
the state constitution, you have the right to hire an attorney when
states want to repeal you from liberty. But what happened when you can’t
afford one? You don’t need to worry. The court will assign the job to a
lawyer which can act in the legal capacity for you without any costs or
full free with one condition if you are sentenced in a jail. The lawyer
that appointed to represent you called with Public Defenders (P.D.s).
Many
of defendants are poor and can’t afford any lawyer to help their
criminal cases. That’s why there are lots public defender’s offices in
the states. Public defenders are free but that doesn’t mean that they
are lack in skills and experience. They are lawyers who fully licensed
which paid by the states. They gain a lot of experiences in representing
poor defendants especially in criminal drug cases. They have experience
through daily job in the courts, so they know very well every
personalities and characteristics of the prosecutors, judges, and local
law officers.
What happened if the area doesn’t have any public
defender’s offices? The government in your local area will contact the
private law firms in nearest area to represent you in the cases. Or the
courts will also check on the attorneys list and appoint one of them to
represent the poor defendants who can’t afford their own drug lawyer.