Eradicating Border Violence: A New Approach

The proposed program aims to reduce drug smuggling, violent crimes, and human trafficking at the US-Mexico border. By legalizing marijuana in some states, cartels may be less inclined to smuggle it across the border. The program also targets weapons smuggling and proposes a collaborative strategy with law enforcement agencies and government officials. The projected results include a reduction in drug smuggling and violent crimes, as well as a decrease in human trafficking and prostitution.

Running head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG THE 1
Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity along the Southern Border
Frank Canini
AJS/594 Program Development and Evaluation
August 13, 2016
Dr. Duane Benton

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
2
Introduction
The city of El Paso, Texas shares the southern border with Juarez, Mexico, making it a
gateway to the U.S. drug market. Once known as the Murder Capital of the World, drug cartels
have been in a war to control the city for their lucrative drug smuggling operations (Quionones,
2016). This battle at the border between cartels, the Mexican government, and the American
government has led to murder counts in the thousands labeling the Mexican city as the World’s
Most Violent City. This violence carries over into El Paso and poses a major threat for the city
and its residents. The growing concerns over the violence at the border have the United States
government scrambling to develop an effective plan that reduces the violence and prevents
illegal drug smuggling across the border.
Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity along the Southern Border
West Texas has been experiencing a flood of illicit drugs making it across the border and
throughout the Lone Star State. Mexican drug cartels are continuously developing new ways to
smuggle drugs and humans across the border into Texas through this region. As a result of the
increase in violence and illegal activity in this region, The Mexican government has estimated
that as many as 28,000 people have been slaughtered by the drug cartels since 2007 (Synder,
2010). No city in the U.S. even comes close to these astonishing numbers and volume of drug-
related violence.
Though many people would argue the best solution to this problem would be to construct
barriers at the border, this would strain international relations with our southern neighbor.
International trade and cooperation between the two governments prevents such drastic measures
to fight the violence in the El Paso-Juarez region. A joint effort on the parts of the American and
Mexican governments can effectively eradicate a large part of the problem and significantly

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
3
reduce the amount of dead bodies discovered on both sides of the border. The United States
government in conjunction with the Texas Department of Public Safety with cooperation from
the Mexican government can collaboratively develop enhanced border security.
Criminal Justice Program
For law enforcement to effectively combat the activity at the border, they must develop an
understanding of the extent of the problem. As a result of the growing violence and illegal
activity in the area, El Paso is becoming a dangerous city in its own right and the crime rate
continues to increase as a result. Crime rates have soared in recent years within the city with
rates settling above the national average (Hernandez, 2012). These changes are a drastic change
from the past when El Paso was considered among the safest United States cities comprised of
over 500,000 residents. El Paso alone has experienced almost 2,000 violent crimes per year
excluding those crimes from across the border in Juarez. According to El Paso Police
Department’s statistics and analysis, crimes including weapons charges, drug seizures, and
human trafficking crimes have been omitted (Hernandez, 2012). When considering this
information and estimating the number of unreported crimes, we can only speculate exactly how
high the crime rates in the region actually are. In fact the number of unreported crime could be
far greater than the reported violent crimes.
The purpose of the proposed criminal justice program is to secure the border around the El
Paso-Juarez region to reduce narcotics from entering the U.S. This has become a favorite
pipeline for cartels to get their drugs over the border to hit the profitable U.S. market through El
Paso where the drugs are then distributed throughout major drug hubs that include New York,
Miami, and Los Angeles. Border security currently lies in the jurisdiction of the Federal
Government with little responsibility given to state and local authorities. The state of Texas will

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
4
have to develop a creative, effective, and innovative plan to stop the narcotics from entering the
U.S.
One unorthodox method to reduce drug smuggling around the southern border is to loosen
sanctions on marijuana. In other words, Texas could actually pass legislation to legalize it for
medicinal and recreational use. Though it is still illegal under Federal Law, some states including
Washington and Colorado have legalized it with the backing of the Federal Government who has
stated they would not prosecute individuals for possession or use in those states. This could
influence cartels and smugglers to refrain from attempting to at least smuggle marijuana across
the border since it would not be as profitable or worth the risk. Of course, if the Federal
Government passes legislation to legalize the drug nationwide we would experience a huge
reduction in drug smuggling efforts.
Lifting restrictions on marijuana would then allow our Border Patrol agents to focus their
attention to more serious threats. It would enable our field agents to reduce human and gun
trafficking by the same cartels. Violent crimes are not the only concern for the Border Patrol as
migrants attempting to flee Mexico and take up illegal residence in the U.S. are also a common
problem we face at the border. Though not a violent crime, illegal immigration from around the
globe has been a major problem that our politicians have been attempting to mitigate for decades.
Human trafficking is another major problem that ties in with the drug trade. Women and
children are smuggled into the country and put to work to sell sex and drugs while the cartels
reap the profits. El Paso is especially susceptible to prostitution and has seen it skyrocket in
recent years. Developing programs that aim to reduce prostitution and drug abuse in the region
can help alleviate the problem at the border. Currently, the city has a program called Project
Esteem that focuses its efforts on helping prostitutes change their lives, but program participants

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
5
also have other issues, such as substance abuse and mental health problems which the program
uses a network with other agencies to provide the best accessible services (Welsh, 2015).
Weapons smuggling is another major problem at the border with Mexico. Cartels move illegal
firearms through the border to hit the U.S. black market, landing into the possessions of some
our nation’s most notorious gangs and criminal organizations. A task force designed to fight the
weapons smuggling issue could help significantly reduce the amount of illegal weapons entering
our border. Texas should consider passing legislation similar that of an Arizona law that allows
police to ask for identification from criminal suspects during routine traffic stops (Sherman,
2012).
Implementing the Program
A collaborative strategy will be needed to effectively implement the program and experience
the benefits of the plan. Many politicians and law enforcement agencies may oppose the
proposed planned change and may not see its effectiveness. It is at this critical stage in the
program development to make a “sales pitch” to elicit key stakeholders who may hold the final
vote or decision whether to put the plan in motion. Community meetings with all law
enforcement agencies and government officials can help make that effort to convince
stakeholders of the program’s expected results. Inviting officials from Mexico to engage in the
discussions and encourage them to be on board with the plan while requesting their assistance in
developing a similar plan can help in the transition to the new policies. It is critical to gain the
support of as many agencies, politicians, and stakeholders involved in the war at the border.
Projected Results
The program has several objectives that are expected to be achieved. A significant reduction
in drug smuggling and violent crimes in and around El Paso are expected to be reached with

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
6
declining numbers each fiscal year. Cartels will be left without the need to smuggle marijuana
across the border and with new developing programs to reduce human smuggling. Shutting down
two of their most profitable operations will significantly enhance safety within our society. The
program strives to prevent illegal firearms and narcotics from reaching our markets and creating
bigger problems nationwide. Programs that target human smuggling and the sex trade will keep
international citizens safe and protect society from falling victim to various crimes and diseases
as a result.
Conclusion
There is no question that the illegal activity at the southern border puts our national security at
risk. The United States government works tirelessly to develop ways to mitigate the threat and
reduce criminal activity but their resources are overwhelmed. It is time we start to think outside
the box and implement some unorthodox practices to achieve improved results. If we continue to
ignore this major issue we will continue to see rising drug abuse and violence across our nation.

Running Head: COMBATING CRIMINAL NARCOTICS ACTIVITY ALONG
THE
7
References
Hernandez, K. (2012). El Paso’s violent crime rate belies its top ranking as a safe city. Retrieved
August 13, 2016 from http://borderzine.com/2012/08/el-paso%E2%80%99s-violent-crime
Synder, M. (2010). The Most Dangerous Place On Earth: The Brutal Drug War Raging On The
U.S. Border. Retrieved August 13, 2016 from
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth-the-brutal
Sherman, M. (2012). Supreme Court Rules on Arizona Immigration Law. Retrieved August 14
2016 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/25/supreme-court-sb1070_n_16141
Welsh, S. (2015, January 3). El Paso County Program Focuses on Preventing Prostitution.
Retrieved August 14, 2016 from http://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-paso-county-program-
focuses-on-preventing-prostitution