March 22, 2014

Losing the War on Drugs

It’s a war that never seems to end: the War on Drugs. But is our drug war a winnable one? We’ll talk to a law enforcement expert to get the full story. Then – looking for a great job with a secure future? Believe it or not, jobs like that are out there. A top employment advisor shares the details.

Episode Segments:

InfoTrak: Has the War on Drugs Failed? Stephen Downing, retired Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and board member of the nonprofit organization Law Enforcement Against Prohibition explained why he believes that the war on drugs has failed. He said that his on-the-job experience demonstrated the futility of trying to enforce current drug laws.
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InfoTrak: The Best Jobs for a Secure Future Career information expert Laurence Shatkin, PhD, author of numerous books on choosing a career, including 150 Best Jobs for a Secure Future shared his research into the most secure jobs during hard economic times. He ranked occupations by pay, growth prospects, and number of potential openings, along with the amount of education or training required. He offered advice for young people who are considering their career options and for older workers thinking about a mid-life career change.
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InfoTrak: Building Strong Bones Dr. Kendrin Sonneville , who is a Clinical Nutrition Specialist at Children's Hospital in Boston conducted a study that found that teenage girl athletes with the highest levels of vitamin D in their diets were half as likely to suffer a stress fracture. She said vitamin D deficiencies in teen girls are common. She explained which activities are most commonly associated with stress fractures and recommended ways to get enough vitamin D.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Stephen Downing Stephen Downing began his twenty-year police career in a squad car and finished as a deputy chief of police. As Commander of the Bureau of Special Investigations at one point, the Administrative Narcotics Division was one of the divisions within his scope of authority. His vast experience in law enforcement has led him to the conclusion that the War on Drugs can never be worth the human and fiscal costs. Stephen entered the LAPD in 1960 and spent twelve years assigned to operations in South Central Los Angeles. He is a veteran of the Watts riot and its aftermath, which gave birth to the first community-based policing programs in the country. His assignments covered a wide range of specializations including patrol, criminal investigation, narcotics, vice and organized crime intelligence. Among the many commands held in the LAPD, his most memorable include: Captain of Detectives, where he established homicide investigation techniques still in use today; Commanding Officer of Juvenile Division, where he established and published a file that brought an end to abuses in state probation subsidy programs; and Commanding Officer of Southwest Area, where he designed and implemented the first functionally integrated police operation in law enforcement aimed at combating gang activity - a program that became a national model. As a staff officer Stephen was involved in reorganizing the LAPD from a centralized functional organization to a decentralized line organization. During his final years with the LAPD he was a Deputy Chief in the Bureau of Special Investigations, where he supervised city-wide narcotic, vice and criminal intelligence functions. He was also a Deputy Chief in the Personnel and Training Bureau, where he oversaw operations involving the Police Training Academy, recruitment, personnel management and affirmative action and chaired the Department Shooting Review Board. After twenty years in law enforcement witnessing the futility of our current drug laws, Stephen has concluded that this approach just isn't working. He explains, "We need an exit strategy to the War on Drugs. We keep trying to to stop addicts from shooting up or potheads from taking a toke by building more and more prisons to stuff with people, while human and fiscal costs skyrocket. We need a new approach." Since leaving the LAPD, Stephen has been a writer and producer in the entertainment industry. He has remained in close touch with law enforcement through his membership in the Police Historical Society and his volunteer work, serving on various law enforcement related advisory boards in addition to his involvement with LEAP.

Laurence Shatkin aurence Shatkin is a Senior Product Developer at JIST Publishing, a division of EMC/Paradigm, with 30 years of work in the field of career information. He has been a researcher and developer at Educational Testing Service, where he helped develop the SIGI PLUS computer-based career information system. He oversaw the updating and enhancement of the SIGI PLUS database for over 15 years. He has served as a board member and as president of the Association of Computer-based Systems for Career Information. He is also a member of the National Career Development Assocation and a frequent presenter at their meetings. Laurence's Website