Drug Ring Bust, and it was next to a school!

       Earlier this morning at 11:19 AM in Rosenburg, Texas, nine people in one household were arrested for running a drug ring in their mutual home. They were then charged with countless offensives and fines, and sent to jail. There were 8 children in the house with ages ranging between 8 months and 9 years which were placed in child services. The home also happened to be located across from a junior high school.
       The article on the media and its effect on the criminal justice system can be closely related to, perhaps not the story, but the way it was potrayed. The media has a way with making one understand the story in perhaps a more dramatic way than necesarry. Mentioning that the location of the drug ring was beside a school is not what I am referring to, but how it was stated in the article title and how it was referred to simply made it seem as a ploy to gain viewers. In this way, the media is reconstructing the nuances of the story which can inturn inspire various emotions in the reader. Additionally, it listed the various charges that each of the household members recieved which were many:

Peggy Meza Cantu, 50. Bond set at $275,000.

• 4 indictments for manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance
• 1 indictment for engaging in organized criminal activity
• 1 charge of manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone
• 5 charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon
• 1 charge of child endangerment
• 3 charges of theft of a firearm
• 1 charge of possession of marijuana in a drug-free zone

Ashley Vasquez, 19. Bond set at $45,000.

• 4 indictments for manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance
• 1 indictment for engaging in organized criminal activity
• 1 charge of manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance, more than 4 grams
• 2 charges of child endangerment
• 1 charge of possession of a controlled substance, less than 28 grams, in a drug-free zone

Along with many others. The surplus of charges, whether rightfully or wrongfully attained, increases my awareness of the increasingly punitive nature of our criminal justice system, which is a major way this story coincides with the above mentioned article.
           This crime coverage could only be considered a form of entertainment if entertaining could be defined as anything that increases the dramatic appeal of the story. This case coverage could influence CJ policy by making people think we need to crack down more on school areas or monitor more the areas where there are many people in one house or some obscure reason, instead for say, attacking the reasons many people resort to selling drugs in the first place: their economic status. The system could instead, turn to more retributive justice ways, as opposed to a restorative justice route. This article was very straight forward and at first glance didn't seem to raise any question in my mind but if you analyze its fundemental value, the systemic influence of the media's perspective is abundant.
http://www.click2houston.com/news/25299851/detail.html