Many things are evident in the realm of criminal charges relating to drug offenses in Indiana, including, centrally, these two realities: the list of illicit drugs and the types of charges concerning them is long, and the sentencing outcome in a given case can be notably harsh.
There is much talk on the political circuit and in legislatures across the country these days — as well as among criminal law commentators and pundits — of the need to materially reform many aspects of the criminal justice system.
After all, it is an unchallenged and sad fact that there are more inmates serving time in jails and prisons in the United States on a per-capita basis and in absolute terms than in any other country in the world.
In Indiana and elsewhere, many of the persons locked up are incarcerated following conviction of one or more drug charges, with offenses ranging from possession of marijuana to trafficking in large amounts of drugs like cocaine and heroin.
And those drugs hardly define the universe of what drugs Indiana police officers and prosecutors are focused upon, of course. Methamphetamine is often a target of drug searches and raids, as is Ecstasy, hallucinogens like LDS and prescription offerings ranging from Vicodin and OxyContin to hydrocodone and Xanax.
As we note on our criminal defense website at Patel Defense in Indianapolis, a drug conviction can yield heavily adverse — and sometimes lifelong — consequences for a state resident, including a lengthy incarceration term, stringent fines and other penalties, the loss of future career opportunities and more.
Our firm seeks to mitigate those consequences to the fullest extent possible in every case we handle. We take due pride in the role we play as advocates in the criminal justice system, and welcome the opportunity to bring our experience and passion to bear on behalf of individuals facing criminal charges and needing legal representation to protect their rights.