The Merseyside Model - Research Paper Example

Laffer was accused of killing Mr. Raymond Ferguson, the prosecutor said that the accused pulled out a gun and shot Raymond (Baker & Goldstein, 2011). After killing Raymond, the accused turned the gun and shot Jennifer Mejia, who was also an employee in the store. After accomplishing his mission, on his way out of the store, the accused met two customers on their way to store. He ambushed them and shot them at the backs of their heads (Baker & Goldstein, 2011). Mr. Dormer said that the suspect was under the control of narcotics.

This crime was one of the most severe by prescription drug addicts. Many pharmacy robberies have been on the increase in the past decades. They involve killings and more often, the criminals steal hydrocodone pills, promethazine, and cheratussin, which could be used as recreational drugs and other purposed (Baker & Goldstein, 2011). Therefore, it is clear that there is a concrete connection between drugs and crime. The most amazing thing about such cases is that the criminals use violence to steal from the stores they buy drugs.

In the above case, the accused was a consistent customer to the store. Such cases could be addressed only by employing appropriate measures which include use of drug prevention programs, which educates the citizens about the dangers of use of drugs, and perhaps application of Harm reduction like the Merseyside model. However, this model should be the last option to the problem. It is most likely that such cases of crime and theft of the drug stores are as a result of people frustrations associated with side effects of drugs, and they do so to get drugs that would lessen the effects of the substance abuse.

Therefore, in such cases, harm reduction programs be help drug users lessen these effects. Topic two: The Merseyside model Introduction Harm reduction is a new model for reducing risk of injury regardless of whether the individual is able or to refrain from the risky behavior (Lana, 2000). It is a comparatively new policy in Britain and currently being employed in U.S. It is considered to be effective in drugs and alcohol. The primary objective of harm reduction is to lessen the negative consequences of drug use.

However, this model only works in a hierarchy of goals which among them is the primary one: abstinence. Presently, the real inclusive, harm reduction programs are in Merseyside, England. According to Lana, (2000), the programs include syringe exchange, outreach education, prescription of other drugs, and various ways through which police may be involved. The fundamentals of this model in Merseyside comprise of counseling, needle exchange, prescription of drugs, and employment of housing services (Lana, 2000).

To ensure the programs are effective, there are several levels of services and a variety of agencies and services integrated to provide help to the drug users when they need it. In order to reduce risks involved in injection by drug users, pharmacists use an alternative method instead of injection (Lana, 2000). They fill prescriptions for smokable drugs, which act as an alternative to injection. Drug taking has both negative and positive effects on the users. The aim of a harmful reduction framework is to offer practical means through which consequences can be impartially evaluated.

Unlike other models, harm reduction framework establishes the problem that exists between the user and the substance. This model was introduced in the US in 1980s after banning of the