Subtopic 1: drugs and drug abuse
Description of Concrete Experience: I was exposed to drugs from a very young age. Both my parents where and are drug users, as well as my older brother and he is ten years older than I am. From my understanding my mother started using marijuana at a young age and that was the only drug that she used for a long time. She stated that she did not start using harder dugs meth or crank until she met my father. Both of my parents used hard drugs. I know that marijuana is grown and meth or crank is manufactured, typically made in someone’s house. My mother told my that when she found out that she was pregnant with my and my twin brother she stopped using drugs and even stopped smoking cigarettes. I believe shortly after my twin and I was born she started using drugs again; I do not know that for a fact. I think growing I always knew that my mom and dad used drugs. My older brother started with marijuana and moved in to the harder drugs as well. When my brother and I where young about five years old, my father was arrested for trafficking drugs, he served many years in prison in Nevada. My mother took us to go and see him many times. After I was an adult my mother told me that she took drugs in to my father during the visits. My mother also has done jail time for possession. My older brother when to prison for manslaughter and every time she got out of prison or jail he would seem to be going back for drug use or possession. Currently I believe that my father is clean and sober. I know for a fact that my mother and older brother are still using drugs meth or crank. My mother when many years with out using drugs but once addicted always addicted.
Reflections: I wish that both of my parents and brother never used drugs. Growing up I did not know my father that well he was either high or in prison. My mother raised my twin and I and gave use both moral. I know that is hard to believe by my twin and I are doing great knowing where we came from. My mother is missing out on know my son and wife because she is not clean and sober. At times I wish she would turn her life around. My dad is clean and sober, he has the opportunity to get to now my son, but with the way life is going (work, school, and family) I haven’t had time for many visits. I have know desired to have anything to do with my older brother, I wish he was clean and sober for his life not mine.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: I believe for most people that marijuana is a gateway drug. I also believe that once you use harder drugs such as meth or crank that you are always addicted, but some people can fight the urges. I have met people that where good people that changed from the use of drugs and I have seen when how things change. I also think if someone grows up in that life style they still can live a different life. I grow up around a lot of crap and I know that I turned out good. I have never used illegal drugs.
Testing and Application: I think that there should be a better way to get inmates not to uses drugs when they get out of jail or prison. I also think that Child Protective Services (CPS) needs to do a better job of keeping kids out of houses where drugs are being used. I know that my brother and I turned out great, but look at my older brother.
Subtopic 2: investigation methods, including undercover information
Description of Concrete Experience: When I was around five, my twin and I were with my other staying at a friend of hers apartment. For some reason everyone left that night and my mother, twin, and I stayed the night, just the three of us. The next morning around six or seven the cops started banging on the door I got up to answer the door and was only feet from it when the door was kicked in. I cops had to have been watching the apartment for some time to know that drugs where being sold and/or used in the apartment. After the cops entered the house, they went straight to the bedroom and other cops calmed my twin and I down because we where upset as you could imagine. They started taking the place apart looking for drugs; they had my mother in at the kitchen table asking her question. They asked her where are the drugs stated that they where under the mattress and they wanted to know where the needs where because they did not want to get stuck by any of them. I was told when I was in my teen years that my father was a hired snitch by the Reno, NV police department. The person that told me what my mother, she said that they would give my dad money to buy drug to get the name of the dealers. She also said that he never gave up the name and because of that he got in trouble. I do not know if that last part is true, but I do believe that he was a snitch.
Reflections: It was hard for me at the time that my mother was getting arrested, but when I look back I think that it was ok because it put the scare in to me that I never wanted to do anything to get in trouble with the law. Also at one point I wanted to be a cop so that I would be able to do what it took to arrest people that were breaking the law. When I look back to when my dad was being an informant, we where living with him in Reno at that time and I did not quite understand why there where always people coming in and out of the apartment, but I thing that I knew something was not right.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: I think that when people are informing on other people they are doing it for them selves and not for the great good, but I could also understand why they are trying to stay out of jail. Like I said I think my dad was an informant. I also fill he was doing it to stay out of jail and to get free money because I remember during that time he was not working. I also resect that the cops were doing there jobs when the apartment was raided and I understand that a lot of investigation had to go in to know what apartment and what people needed to be raided and go to jail.
Testing and Application: I think it is importing that new methods are used to that investigating is do better and fast so that people that are breaking the law can be taken of the streets. I think that informants can be more of a hassle that helpful because I do not think that they want to be an informant.
Subtopic 3: field identification
Description of Concrete Experience: I have seen many different drugs and drug paraphernalia. I know when I was growing up that I saw a lot of marijuana; one time I saw a large black bag full of marijuana. At the time I do not recall know that it was marijuana, I remember filling that I knew that I was not a good thing to have because of the was that people were acting. I seen marijuana smoked in a joint, pipe, and water bong. I also have seen people somewhat they call resin, which is the black stuff that is left over after smoking a lot of marijuana. I know what marijuana smelt like from an early age as well, I have always liked the way that marijuana smelt like. When I was in high school I had a lot of friends they smoked marijuana around me, I have never smoked marijuana or used any other drug. I have also been exposed to other drugs including meth. I know that I have seen it a few time growing up, I think that my parents tried to keep the fact that they were using meth from my brother and I the best that they could. I know that I have seen a lot of needles growing up, I do not thing that I knew that they where for. I know that my mother gave my brother and I syringes with out the need to play with, kind a like a water gun. I have smelt meth being smoked only a few times in my life and meth smells like a rubber being burnt. To the best of my knowledge these are the only drugs and drug paraphernalia that I have been exposed to, I may have seen more but known what I was looking at.
Reflections: Looking back I wish that I was able to tell my parents that I knew that they were using dugs and told them that I did not want they to. I know that it was bad that I was exposed to drugs and drug paraphernalia at a young age, but I think because I was exposed to everything that I was, I knew that it was and that my be why I have never used any drugs. I wish that I never hung out with people in high school that used marijuana, but I think that I was just trying to make friends during that time; none of them are my friends now, so I think that I could have tried to make better friends during high school.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: Just because someone was exposed to drugs at a young age doses not mean that people will turn out the same way that I have. I know people that have been exposed to some of the same things that I have and has not turned out the same way, they have used drugs and done time in jail.
Testing and Application: Do to the fact that I grew up the way that I did, I do not want my son to be exposed to the things that I have. I know want the best for my family and do not want him to know what drugs are for except for what I teach him and what he also learns from school in the future.
Subtopic 4: surveillance
Description of Concrete Experience: Like I have stated in this paper I was in a house that was raided by the police. In order for the police to make the determination to raid a place they would have to have intelligence that the house has to have illegal activity and the place that my mother had my brother and I was under surveillance due to drug activity that caused the place to be raided. Also, it is my understanding that my father was under surveillance during the time that he was suppose to be informing. The police had to ensure that he was doing what he said that he was or he would have to do jail time.
Reflections: I think that surveillance is a great took that the police have to determine if it would be wise to conduct a raid. I know that I have gone through a lot including a raid but I strongly think that everything has made me the person that I am today.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: The police have came a long ways from the days of sitting out side a location to conduct surveillance and not they have better technology to ensure the safety of the police and the public. The police would not be able to keep the street safe without being able to find the people that are breaking the law.
Testing and Application: People that break the law tend to get complacent and the police are able to get surveillance of them doing illegal acts that will land them in jail or prison.
Subtopic 5: statutory and case law
Description of Concrete Experience: I know that is it agents federal law to possess or use any illegal drugs, which include but not limited to proscription that are not proscribed to you, marijuana, meth, crank, cocaine, heroin, and many other street drugs. The State of California will allow people that have a medical condition get a cannabis card so that they can purchase marijuana in California. Recently the federal government started cracking down and shutting down places that sold marijuana. All of the places that are selling marijuana do not have any legal right to sell the marijuana even if they have a sellers permit from the State of California because the federal law still does not allow the sell of any illegal drug. There are a lot of people that would like to see marijuana become legal because there have been studies that show that it can be used for medical patients that are not eating well. I do know because my wife is a registered nurse that there is a medical form of THC that can be used.
Reflections: I have mixed filling about the state and federals laws regarding marijuana. I have a family member that has a cannabis card because has a bad back and he is not one of the people that are just saying it to get a card. I do fill that marijuana is a gateway drug for some people so in that aspect, I do not thing that marijuana should ever be legal. I also know that if a person want to get their hands on any marijuana they will be able to, so I some times thing why not have it be regulated so that a safe product is sold to the public. On top of having a safe product the local, state, and federal governments will be able to raise income (tax) from the sale of the marijuana.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: I think that all drugs should be regulated by the federal government. Marijuana should not become legalized and if people need to get THC they should have to get a prescription for a pill from their doctor.
Testing and Application: I do not know that if you had a bad medical condition that I would use marijuana. I think that I would try any other medical means to treat anything that would go wrong with me. That I just what I am thinking right now, but if it came down to it I do not know what I would do.
Subtopic 6: presentation of cases in court
Description of Concrete Experience: My father was arrested for trafficking drugs he was a truck driver. From my understanding him and his driving partner (girl friend) where changing the trucking log so that they could change the pounds that they were hauling across state lines. Do to the fact that my father was transporting across state line it become a federal case and not just a state case. He was convicted of drug trafficking across state lines and served three to five years in a federal prison in Nevada. When I was around five, my twin and I were with my other staying at a friend of hers apartment. The next morning while they are about six or seven the house was raided. I was only feet away from the front door when they kicked it in. The cops found drug in the house and my mother tested positive for drugs as well. She was convicted for being under the influence and possession and served six month to a year in a women’s jail in California. My brother and I when in to foster care at that time.
Reflections: Looking back at both of my parents doing time in either jail or person may have been a good thing for the way that I turned out. I know that I have a lot of respect for law enforcement because of the day that the apartment was raided. I know that I never want to spend time in jail. Yes, I would rather of my parents done time in jail or prison, but I hope that the time that they did do changed them a little bit. When I also look back at visiting my parents in jail or prison, I’m grateful that I was able to see them that way because I realize that I never want to experience it. I may love my parents, but I do not respect them at this time in my life.
Generalizations, Principles and Theories: I think that it is important that people that break the law have to have some time of punishment. The time that my parents did is fine with me because I know that they broke the law. I think that they should have a better way of rehabilitating inmate. I understand that there are those people that just do not want to be change and the state does not have unlimited amount of money. I think that a lot of people that are on drugs want to be caught because it is too much for the too handle on their own.
Testing and Application: It is import that people that break the law, answer for what they did something wrong. It is also important for children that have parents in jail or prison is able to visit so that the kids will be able to know their parents. I also think that the children have some kind of education about why their parents are in jail or prison, as long as the parents and children understand the consequences of the use of drugs.