What gang or controlled substance appears to now pose the most significant threat to the U.S. and why? Are these newly emerging threats or have they continued steadily over the past decade?

Threat Assessment

This week’s readings included the 2020 Drug Threat Assessment report by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the 2015 National Gang Threat Assessment by the National Gang Intelligence Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Both provide detailed looks at these significant issues in criminal justice, which include those organizations’ predictions (“Outlook” section) about the future of drug and gang prevalence in the United States.

Pick one of the reports and answer the following questions based on the totality of the report:

1. What gang or controlled substance appears to now pose the most significant threat to the U.S. and why?
2. Are these newly emerging threats or have they continued steadily over the past decade? Provide evidence to support your answer.
3. What has the law enforcement strategy been to contain these activities? Do you think it has been successful or not? Why or why not (provide evidence).
4. What would the components of a successful LE program against these activities be? Examples of enforcement programs include: border interdiction, following the money, anti-crime education in middle and grammar schools (e.g., “DARE”), community job and sports programs, curtailing incarceration of first-time offenders, for example. Explain why they would be successful and in what time frame? If there are examples of how your chosen program has been successful in some area, provide that information as support.

Your response will be judged on your ability to provide evidence in support of your statements and choices.