Gap Analysis week 5 - 5006

Gap Analysis Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Course Name & Code Instructor’s Name Date Gap Analysis Since the United States government's interest in fighting drugs, for example, crack and powder cocaine, various policies were implemented, which have significantly increased cases of racial inequality during the application of the policies, especially to the African American communities. For this reason, an overarching gap analysis is necessary to handle the challenges that arise when applying justice. This assignment aims to tackle various existing change opportunities associated with drug policies, the desired nature after the changes, the need for the changes, various mechanisms used during the discrimination and oppression, several specific discriminatory challenges, multiple goals associated with the drug policies and addressing any issues and obstacles related to the goals. On top of that, the assignment will focus on the use of social justice, anti-racial and anti- oppressive ways in order to ensure equality in the justice system during the incarceration of individuals. Change Opportunity and Desired State after the changes. A vital change opportunity focuses on the changing of the incarceration guidelines related to drug crimes. In the year 2010, the Fair Sentencing Act made a step in the changes by minimizing various sentencing inequalities that existed to the individuals associated with crack and powder cocaine in a ratio of 100:1 to a ratio of 18:1 (Families Against Mandatory Minimums, 2024). Despite the reduction, these inequalities continue to be witnessed depending on the racial background an individual comes from. One of the existing change opportunities is the amending of the incarceration guidelines to a ratio of 1:1, which will help to minimize the cases of racism during drug incarceration judgments (Families Against Mandatory Minimums, 2024). After the government has addressed this inequality, the desired State is that all individuals sentenced over crack and powder cocaine charges will receive equal sentences. For this reason, African American communities will enjoy equal treatment, thus establishing an anti-oppressive justice system. Furthermore, policymakers should try to determine the main causes that lead people to engage in drug activities, for example, limited education to people due to lack of fees, which makes them join drug-related activities. The Need for Improvement Changes in drug policies are necessary because African American communities face multiple challenges, such as social and economic difficulties that are caused by inequality in the policies. In reference to the current incarceration rate, many African Americans are sentenced to more extended periods. By so, these sentences go against the rules and regulations associated with social justice since they only focus on African Americans, thus increasing the rate of racism in the United States (National Academy of Sciences, 2024). Making changes in these drug policies is essential because th...