logo
Juvenile drug use: tertiary prevention strategies

This proposal is coherent with the general aims set out by the EU Drugs Strategy for the period 2005-2012 to (page 5): attain of a high level of health protection, well-being and social cohesion by taking actions in preventing and reducing drug use, dependence and drug-related harms to health and society; ensure a high level of security for the general public by intensifying preventive action against drug-related crime, The actions proposed here are "demand reduction measures" as they help improve the quality of rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes and service provision (in the juvenile and social and health sectors) to young offenders who are drug-addict (Pag 10-11) in order to prevent the risk that juvenile drug offenders are rearrested or reconvicted for drug related crimes. Regarding information and research (EU strategy on drug p. 20) the project establishes a transnational partnership in order to foster research on current good practises in the area of integrated intervention strategies targeting young offenders who are drug abusers, organize large-scale exchanges and dissemination of research results, promote valuable experiences and good practices. Finally, with regards to evaluation, this project supports the setting of clear indicators about the merits and shortcoming of current programmes directed to young offenders who are also drug abusers or are convicted for drug related crimes. In the last 10 years the consumption of drugs has undergone profound changes. Some of the characteristics of this new phenomenology include a reduction in age of first use (well before 18 years of age), poly-drug use, and the habit of using drugs during the weekend and in recreational settings such as discos. For a portion of these new users – for reasons connected to substance type, quantity, subsequent damaging behaviours, etc. – risk factors "cumulate" resulting in a higher risk for them to engage in behaviours that are damaging for themselves and for society and represent the beginning of a deviant/criminal career. Tertiary prevention activities to reduce drug-related arms to mental and physical health and society targeting this specific consumer group is particularly complex, as this young people associate drug addition, anti-social behaviours and involvement in deviant careers. Furthermore, rehabilitation interventions are problematic due to the co-occurrence of drug abuse with a borderline personality structure characterized by health risk and self-destructive behaviours. In this context, drug abuse becomes a means for self-healing. Interventions on self-medication conducts require particular attention as suicidal conducts and psychotic crisis are a possible adverse consequence. In spite of the fact that the target group composed of young people who come into contact with the juvenile justice system due to substance use and related problems is numerically limited, tertiary prevention, is a highly complex but crucial activity. Difficulties arise at various levels of the intervention targeting this group: - Within the juvenile justice system, as it is often difficult to reconcile punitive and treatment measures. Problems arise with regards to the treatment of drug abusers within the juvenile justice system concerning drug treatment interventions by the health services, and the obstacles related to the design and implementation of treatment and rehabilitation measures that are compatible with the needs and the constraints of the justice system. - Concerning the inter-institutional cooperation: in the case of Italy – but this is one of the main obstacles faced by the juvenile justice systems in general – there is a constant "buck passing" between the service providers (within the juvenile justice system and the social and health sector), in managing the case of young offenders who are drug abusers from the point of his/her entering in the penal system (either imprisoned or under alternative measures to detention) up to the conclusion of the rehabilitation process when the young offender is reintegrated in the local community of reference. In this context, the cooperation between the different institutions is further complicated by communication problems and limited opportunities to share methodologies and objectives of the interventions. The innovative aspect of the proposed project lies in the identification of the target population of adolescents who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system due to drug-related activities (use, dealing, etc.). This is not only because this population is at the most advanced point in terms of vulnerability, seriousness and likelihood of negative developments, but it is also especially important for a study that seeks to better understand young substance users who are highly at-risk of beginning a criminal career.

Persona di riferimento per l'iprs: Fabia Orlandi