Tapping Into the Wire by Peter L. Beilenson and Patrick A. McGuire (review)

Tapping into the Wire carries the reader beyond the scope of the acclaimed television series into the harsh realities of inner city Baltimore, Maryland. Very much like the television series, The Wire, the book too “lays out social and environmental problems like an oil spill.”^[p.8] Scenes and character portrayals serve as anchor points for presenting real stories and circumstances about the lives of individuals and communities affected by drugs, violence, and other burdens typically associated with impoverished urban neighborhoods. Dr. Peter Beilenson, a preventive medicine physician, served as the city’s health commissioner from 1999–2005 under mayors Kurt Schmoke and Martin O’Malley. He draws upon his experience to describe the serious health and crime conditions at the time and the innovative strategies used to address them. Beilenson and his team challenged traditional attitudes and approaches towards crime reduction and pushed for initiatives that would address the core of the problem. By doing so, they were able to achieve promising results.

The authors devote a large portion of the book to drug-related issues ranging from drug addition to medicalization or legalization to harm reduction. It is within these chapters that the authors reframe the discussion on drug addiction to be more of a public health concern rather than one primarily involving criminal justice. They begin by introducing a couple of two-bit heroin addicts, Bubbles and Johnny, in chapter 2. These individuals commit petty crimes to support their drug habits. In one episode, Bubbles and Johnny encounter two hardened criminals—Marlo Stanfield, a druglord, and his hired “muscle”—when a shopping cart of stolen items the two addicts were pushing crashes into Marlo’s SUV. There is an awkward standoff between the pair, with the advantage clearly favoring gun-toting drug lord. The “muscle” reaches for his gun to kill the two clumsy addicts, but at the last moment decides to spare them. The addicts survive a potentially fatal encounter and proceed with their original business—sell the stolen goods for money to buy drugs. The scene illustrates an important point: criminals are not created equal. Despite this noticeable stratification of criminals, typically it’s the nonviolent offenders who are arrested on drug charges. Addicts often enter the criminal justice system as such nonviolent offenders. As the authors point out, 85–90% of arrests are for drug abuse. Meanwhile, violent criminals like Marlo and his muscle are usually too removed and/or too clever to get caught so readily. Instead of focusing on the serious offenders, a great deal of public money and effort has been spent in prosecuting individuals for less serious, non-violent offenses. Making these arrests just to get “drugs on the table” emphasizes an attitude that values quantity over quality of arrests. The U.S. government’s War on Drugs, as discussed in chapter 3, has had little impact on reducing drug-related crime and has been extremely costly. The authors argue that time, money, and resources are wasted prosecuting nonviolent offenders. With many before them, the authors suggest that these offenders, especially those with drug problems, should be enrolled in drug treatment programs. Individuals with addiction problems would be prosecuted and monitored under a different system. In exposing the deficiencies of the federal government’s War on Drugs, Beilenson and McGuire provide the rationale behind medicalization or legalization of certain drugs (chapter 4). To that end, they discuss ways in which harm reduction such as needle exchanges and treatment on demand (chapter 5 and 6 respectively) offer viable alternatives towards helping individuals overcome their addiction. By resolving their addiction, the authors convincingly conclude, they may be no longer compelled to be involved in criminal activity.

In the remaining chapters, the authors delve into issues such as a failing education system, teen pregnancy and STDs, obesity, guns, and politics. Regardless of the issue, Beilenson and McGuire continue to apply a preventive approach with fervor. As the...