Trends in Bucks County Drug Offenses Enforcement 

If you have questions regarding the trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement, do not hesitate to reach out to a professional defense attorney who can offer you their insights on narcotics-based arrests. Based on their knowledge accumulated through years of dedicated practice, a skilled defense lawyer from Bucks County would know the ins and outs of the criminal justice system of your jurisdiction. Read on to learn more about the current trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement, as well as the ways a skilled attorney could fight to make a difference in your case.

Examples of Law Enforcement Trends

One of the trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement is how aggressively these cases are prosecuted. When encountering drug sellers who are manufacturing, transporting, and distributing narcotics, the courts tend to take an approach that is not merely rehabilitative in regards to these offenses. For these reasons, if someone believes they are the target of a narcotics investigation in Bucks County, they should obtain the services of an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible. A weathered lawyer could limit an individual’s exposure to law enforcement and work to direct the court to look at their case in a light that would be more favorable to the accused. In best-case scenarios, an attorney may even be able to reduce one’s charges from a felony delivery to a misdemeanor possession. This could potentially lead to participation in a Section 17 rehabilitation program and an intermediate punishment sentence as well.

Common Bucks County Drug Crimes

The most commonly seen drug charges in Bucks County tend to involve drug sales. Drug sales take place when an individual is selling illegal drugs directly to buyers. Some trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement includes observation of these acts through the use of confidential informants, or a police officer purchasing the drugs directly. Additional common drug crimes include cases where an individual is found to be in possession of an amount of a controlled substance that is above and beyond what they would reasonably have for their own personal use. This situation would constitute a charge for possession with the intent to deliver.

Constitutional Issues

The most common constitutional issue that comes into play when dealing with Bucks County drug cases involves illegal search and seizure issues. These issues are covered by the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution as well as Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania constitution. Under these articles, an individual has a right against illegal searches and seizures of their property.

Thus, when dealing with narcotics cases, the manner in which the police obtained those drugs is often challenged by defense attorneys. Such lawyers will argue that the police and/or other agents of the government illegally obtained these narcotics, that they searched a location without a warrant, or  that a warrant was not based upon the probable cause required by law. In all of these circumstances, the constitutional arguments can lead to the suppression of those drugs as evidence, which means that drugs would not be allowed to be used in a prosecution against an individual because law enforcement did not obtain them legally.

Rehabilitation Services

Bucks County is an affluent area in which residents have the means to both purchase and use illegal narcotics consistent with a high-level drug abuser because their economic situation is very viable. However, know that for smaller offenses made by possession-only users, one of the trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement is to handle rehabilitation in a very positive way. With the aid of an experienced defense attorney, an individual charged with possessing and using drugs in this way could be diverted out of the criminal system in an alternative sentence. Participation in a  drug treatment program can also be ordered in a manner that aids an individual from having any sort of record.

The Opiate Crisis

One of the most significant trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement involves their focus on drugs that have been chemically changed, potentially causing harm and/or death to their users. This crackdown on the opiate crisis has been consistent throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania, and heroin is currently the number one target in Bucks County as well as its surrounding areas in Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Chester County, and Delaware County. Specifically, enforcement has been searching for instances where heroin has been mixed with substances such as fentanyl.

Heroin cases are treated more seriously by the courts because of the impact the drug has on people. Individuals often face physical health consequences with the use of heroin, which may lead to heart attacks and death. Individuals are often charged with murder and/or homicide in these situations where their drug can be linked to the death of someone. The current local trend is to get the drugs off the streets and punish the sellers severely.

Working with a Bucks County Narcotics Defense Attorney

The sooner an experienced Bucks County narcotics attorney gets involved, the better chances a charged individual has in reaching an acquittal, a suppression matter, and/or a reduction in charges from a felony to a misdemeanor. With a skilled lawyer on your side, requirements for warrants and lawful searches all become relevant. Defending your right to challenge a law and/or mere possession versus constructive possession all becomes an issue. The sooner someone has an advocate by their side, the better chance they have of protecting their reputation, employment opportunities, and liberty. If you wish to learn more about current trends in Bucks County drug offenses enforcement, reach out to a determined criminal attorney today for your initial consultation.