Private Money Flooding Pennsylvania to Fight Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis has been the subject of considerable national attention over the last several years. The issue has been especially pressing locally, as Pennsylvania is one of the states with the highest numbers of opioid overdoses.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that there has been a lot of debate among law enforcement officials and the state legislature about how best to deal with drug crimes and enforcement. One of the results of the increasing focus on opioid busts is a huge influx in private funding toward local law enforcement agencies to help them deal with the problem. Blair County has raised about $4 million for these efforts.

This outside money has allowed local governments to more aggressively prosecute drug crimes and enforce drug laws. This has led to more arrests and prosecutions.

However, not everyone is convinced more heavy-duty enforcement is the best method of fighting drug use and abuse. This is especially true in public defenders’ offices, where the more aggressive prosecution of minor crimes has resulted in the criminalization of some drug users who would likely respond better to treatment than incarceration.

An age-old argument

Treatment versus incarceration is an issue that comes up repeatedly in the world of drug crime defense. Although putting more people behind bars might be a temporary solution to the opioid crisis, it could result in overcrowded prisons and a cycle of drug abuse that offenders cannot shake because they do not get the proper treatment.

If you have been arrested for a drug crime and need sound legal guidance, speak with knowledgeable Reading criminal defense lawyer David R. Eshelman.