After watching the documentary: America's War on Drugs - The Prison Industrial Complex, it is clear that the criminal justice system is in desperate need of rebuilding and repair with policies like that mandatory minimum sentencing act that has proven unsuccessful and unjust in its efforts to deter "criminals from committing illegal acts", as seen with the increase in incarceration of the American people and the devastating effect it has had on prisoners and on family members of those who are incarcerated. With Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper and his conservative approach to following our neighboring neighbors with the Safe Streets and Communities Act, and his “tough on crime” approach, Canadians are entering dangerous territory. The American government is now warning the Canadian people that these tougher and more punitive drug war laws will only cause greater harm to both incarcerated individuals and those in the general public who are taxpayers. This documentary highlighted the devastating consequences these mandatory minimum sentences can have on people like in the case of Kemba Smith and Johnny Patillo, two first-time offenders charged with mandatory minimum sentences. Johnny Patillo sentenced to serve 10 years and Kemba Smith sentenced to serve 24.5 years, these individuals were no different than the average citizen who was caught in the fire of these barbaric laws and individuals like these two are used as a detergent to send a message to the public in its efforts to take control of the war on drugs… The senseless and irrational analysis behind these mandatory minimum sentencing laws that have left judges with no choice but to hand out deva… half paper.. ..the expected expenditure was 3.3 million. With these huge budgets at the disposal of the government and policy makers, it is clear that they are not allocating the budget wisely and are in desperate need of reorganisation, to achieve the goal of achieving greater equality and safer streets for law-abiding citizens of the law. Works Cited1. The star. (2014, February 17). Harper government's tough crime laws obsolete: editorial. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/08/19/harper_governments_toughoncrime_laws_are_outdated_editorial.html2. Griffiths, C. (2010). Canadian Corrections. (pages 210, 211, 212).3. Murray, J. (2005). The Effects of Incarceration on the Families and Children of Inmates Retrieved from http://www2.bgsu.edu/downloads/cas/file77089.pdf4. Santora, M. (2013, August 23). The city's annual cost per inmate is $168,000, Stuy notes. The New York Times.