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Drugs and Violence

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The Terror of Drugs and Violence

The Terror of Drugs and Violence
For over seven decades the United States has experienced an increasing drug problem in it's larger cities. This growing drug problem has destroyed lives and spread violence throughout communities in North America. Violence has also become troublesome for government and city officials to police, and in most cities when the drug sales increase the violence does as well. Drugs and violence are two separate problems facing America, but they are both key contributors to crime, poverty, and deteriorating health in large cities.
Crime
The continuous increase in drugs and violence in America has caused crime to reach an all time high. The drug market is a competitive yet lucrative business that employs thousands of street dealers in the United States. The competition in the drug market becomes violent when street dealers begin to fight over territory for the sale of drugs. Street dealers sometimes travel in gangs for protection against other dealers and gangsters. Drug dealers are known for conducting business on street corners, but as police departments have improved their tactics in finding and arresting drug criminals, dealers have moved to dope houses referred to as “traps”. These dope houses are manned with four to five dealers at a time and may contain multiple guns along with a variety of drugs. Here drug users may come and purchase the drug of their choice and avoid being seen buying drugs by family and friends on a street corner.
In the competitive drug market robbery among drug dealers is a method used to weaken or eliminate the competition. These robberies among drug dealers often take place in housing communities and apartment complexes leaving innocent victims wounded or dead. In order to eradicate their competition guns, drugs, and money are taken in these robberies leaving the victim with no means of protection or way of making money. Substance abusers are also known to carry out robberies, but against innocent members of the community in order to purchase drugs. These types of robberies are common in large cities because most drug users do not work and seek other methods to obtain their drug.
Countless lives have been at risk as drug related shootings have spread across America destroying and causing fear among families. As drug gangs continue their violent fight for territory they leave behind a path of destruction and death from the relentless eruption of gunfire. Disputes and theft among individuals in the illegal drug market are two of the primary reasons behind shootings.
Prostitution is another means in which substance abusers obtain the funds to purchase illegal drugs. Prostitution is a dangerous lifestyle in which men and women solicit sex to strangers for money. One study estimated that nearly seven in ten prostitutes were drug addicts (Flowers, 2001). While demonstrating these type of behaviors they run the risk of being raped, murdered, or becoming infected with HIV.

Temperament
In addition to size, a breeds temperament can also be a deciding factor when considering a working or non-working dog.
Dogs that are bred to guard usually have poor temperament. The doberman pinscher is a guard dog bred in Germany around 1890 by tax collector Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. Doberman Pinschers have been well known for being alert, intelligent, and loyal, but have a tendency to be very aggressive when protecting their home or territory.
In recent years there have been other breeds that have made bad reputations for themselves due to poor temperament. One of those breeds is the Pit Bull or Pit Bull Terrier of North America. Pit Bull is name given to several breeds mixed with or related to the American Bulldog, American Stafford Shire Terrier, and Bull Terrier. These are working dogs mainly used to guard, and as of later years have earned the title of bully breeds. Some Pit Bulls have made great family dogs, but there have been a substantial amount of attacks since the popularity of the breed has risen. A few jurisdictions have banned the the breeding and ownership of Pit Bulls due to recent fatalities.
There have been some cases of non-working dogs demonstrating bad temperament. The Chow Chow or Chow as commonly used in North America has been known for its aggressive nature. The Chow is a unique breed of dog recognized by its fluffy dense coat. The Chow Chow originates from China and is thought to be one of the oldest breed of dog. This day and age Chows are mainly used as pets but tend to display discernment of strangers and can become fiercely protective of their owners and property.
Dogs belonging to the toy group such as poodles, chihuahuas, and miniature schnauzers can sometimes display poor temperament when provoked or scared. Miniature schnauzers are relatively thought of as friendly, calm, and loving. The miniature schnauzer was originally bred in Germany from the standard schnauzer and the affen pinscher. These really are great breeds, but from my personal experience they can be quite the ankle biter.
Health History
The Most important factor when considering a working or non-working dog is the breed's health history. Generally working dogs tend to have shorter life spans because of the wear and tear on their bodies, but an array of illnesses also claim the lives of non-working dogs. Some guard dogs may look ferocious and healthy but the truth is most are prone to hereditary diseases. The Bull Mastiff is one of those breeds that can grow to extraordinary heights and guard it's territory like no other. However, as strong and powerful as the bull mastiff is it's life span is only 7-8 years. Joint dysplasia ,entropion, and cancer are only a few of the diseases that shorten the life of this magnificent beast.
Other working dog's job attribute to their health problems like the Alaskan malamute. The Alaskan malamute is a large breed of domestic dog originally bred for hauling heavy freight because of their strength and endurance. Alaskan Malamutes can live up to 10 years, but owning comes with a string of commonly reported health problems such as cataracts, heart defects , and epilepsy.
Non-working dogs also suffer from a variety of health issues even small dogs in some cases. The pekingese is a small dog belonging to the toy group originally bred in China. The pekingese has a life span of 12-15 years or longer but they mostly suffer from non life threatening that make their everyday life uncomfortable. These beautiful little animal's leading cause of death is trauma. This breed is also known to lose their teeth at an early age and die from multiple heart diseases.
All large dogs aren't working dogs. The Great Dane is a large non-working dog from Germany known for their enormous bodies and great height. Great Danes have a fairly slow metabolism. This results in less energy and less food consumption per pound of dog than in small breeds. The average life span of Great Danes is 6 to 8 years. Dilated cardiomyopathy and many congenital heart diseases are also found in Great Danes
Conclusion
Working dogs and non-working dogs live in millions of homes throughout the world. Both type of dogs share unique similarities and differences ,but when considering either as a new family member one has to choose the proper breed. Determining if adding a working or non-working dog to one's family can be an outstanding decision, but you have to consider the size, temperament, and health issues of the breed. Once these three key points have been evaluated a easy decision can be made.

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