Question

You are a narcotics detective with a large metropolitan department and have been on the job for 10 years. You take your job very seriously and recently arranged to bust up one of the largest marijuana operations that the city has ever seen. Your boss tells you that he is considering you for a promotion to Detective Sergeant.

While out celebrating one night, your brother confides in you that his wife is very ill with cancer and she is very sick from her chemotherapy. So sick that she is unable to even stand up or hold their baby.

He pleads with you to please help him and his family and asks you where he can buy marijuana , so that he can give it to his wife to help with her side effects from the chemotherapy (the state you reside in does not recognize marijuana use for medicinal purposes and it is illegal). What do you do? Would you consider this a victimless crime (who really gets hurt from smoking pot for medical reasons)? Consider and outline formal and informal social control along with the conflict between the two.

Answer 1

The situation will build up a huge conflict inside my mind. I love my brother and his wife, and I cannot see him in this state. At first I feel devastated after hearing the news. I take my brother aside and make him understand that it is not right to rely on the drugs. He bursts out and says that I cannot understand the pain. Then instead of making him understand further I draw a picture about how will the entire scene look like after I give him the drugs. I will help him picture his wife and the side effects that it will help. My brother will understand how it is not the right solution. I will take my promotion and financial matter in mind and help him with the money. I will also start getting active and help the family in recommending some therapies that will help his wife.