Movie Reaction Paper: the House i Live in

In “The House I Live In”, it mainly focused on War on Drugs. This movement was started by Richard Nixon in 1971 to end and reduce the trade of illegal drugs. However, it was failure which led to mass incarceration in the U.S. While watching this film, I have heard and saw how War on Drugs occurred in homes and destroyed families. I personally think the main theme is how this war affect the United States in a detrimental way. America is the most incarcerated country in the world. This film is a documentary about the War on Drugs in America and how it affected the criminal justice system. It captures heart-breaking stories from individuals who has experienced this war over the years.

Social Workers are responsible for understanding and improve the lives of individuals and families. They are particularly attentive to the vulnerable, distressed and living in poverty. This profession can help people solve problems and can be licensed to treat mental illness. Social Workers are in the Criminal Justice System. Criminal Justice Social Workers work with inmates, specifically ex-offenders. War on Drugs is very important in the Social work profession because the primary mission is to assist people in need and address social problems. In addition, to connect clients with the services needed to retrieve their health. Social workers provide mental health services as a treatment to those with an addiction disorder.

This problem is important to me because drugs are destroying our people lives and families. As a future social worker, I want to be able to enhance the well-being of others and help individuals reached their needs. The War on drugs have a big impact on children, families and the community. Some of these people have been affected by policies such as sentences and increased convictions of those with relations to drug dealers. Life after prison is challenging, they will encounter obstacles to receive housing, employment, and other assistance for themselves and their families. They are dependent on the government to assist them with their needs through programs such as Section 8 Housing, and Medicaid. Many public housings banned individuals that have a background of criminal drug conviction. They are not allowed to be on the premises. Some public housing residents are unable to invite family members or friends for no sort of occasion. This issue affected families. Drugs associated in a community of children may cause a child to be placed in state custody.

When drug addicts lose their jobs, it caused pressure on the family but also the community because they lose employees. Although drug abuse may appear to be an individual problem, it is not. When one family is suffering from drug abuse, the whole family suffers. Perspectives are viewpoints or a system of belief that shapes how the world is viewed. Regarding drug use, perspectives emphasize on the importance of certain forms of the social environment, social relations with family and school, social interactions, and culture. Crack and heroin were utilized in the urban areas. These illegal drugs usage demonstrate poverty and inequality. Conflict Perspective focus on individuals rather than social conditions. This perspective emphasizes on inequality being the main cause for this issue. Addicts rely on illegal drugs to cope with their situations. Conflict perspective also emphasizes that racial preconception and inequality help regulate why drugs are illegal and the penalties for these drugs. Crack is primarily used by African Americans and cocaine is primarily used by whites.

Whites are more likely than blacks to have used majority of illegal drugs like cocaine and LSD. Still, blacks are more likely to go to prison for drug offense. In 2011, Blacks were incarcerated at a higher rate than Whites (5–7 times) and accounted for almost half of all prisoners incarcerated with a sentence of more than one year for a drug-related offense (Prisoners in 2011). Regarding illegal drug use, white America does the crime while black America get the time. Racial and ethnic prejudice played a role in way these drugs in the olden days became illegal. Social Exchange Perspective emphasizes on how crime is motivated by desire for money or goods. People make decisions based on their own self-interest. This perspective interest is social change as a procedure of interactive exchanges between people. According to this theory, each decision made is rewards and cost. On of the type of rewards and costs is costs can be a punishment or lack of affection. Addicts choose to perform drug-taking actions in order to satisfy their desire. Addicts who are recovering chose to change their behavior.

The person choice is rational. One example, a reward for addicts is the feeling of getting stoned and the challenge of surviving withdrawal the drugs is a cost. As of family members, social workers could understand the client and their family members. The problem with Social Exchange theory is assuming everyone is selfish because people can make decisions based on their interest. This theory is one-way social workers can assist their clients with drug abuse. Psychodynamic perspective believes that childhood experiences are critical in forming adult personality. This perspective look at how past events and thoughts form a patients behavior. It is convinced that these elements result in unconscious process that cause a person to act in a certain way.

For example, if a person was abused in the past that aspect of their life shaped their behavior. It is a possibility that these experiences might result in the need or desire of drugs. As a future social worker, I will apply the perspectives I have learned in my doings. I will help them obtain a career, assist them through rehab programs (if they are an addict), and assist them programs like public housing and Medicaid. Social Services should advocate to prioritize treatment and other intervention over incarceration. Presidents have tried to fight war on drugs but failed. Drug abusers are continued to go in and out of prisons. Drugs are affecting society and children by causing violent crimes and neglecting and abusing children. To decrease this issue, I believed that this country should offer more treatments rather than jail time. This suggestion would allow the criminal justice system to focus on violent crimes.

However, if war on drugs was failure when President Nixon started this movement, I don’t think war on drugs will end no time soon.             

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