NCJ Number
64902
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE SPECIAL RESOCIALIZATION PROBLEMS OF ADDICTED OFFENDERS CALL FOR EQUALLY SPECIAL TREATMENT.
Abstract
ADDICTION IS A MISGUIDED INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPT AT RESOLVING CONFLICTS AND SIGNALS INABILITY TO DEAL WITH REALITY; WITHOUT TREATMENT OF THE PERSONALITY DISTURBANCES UNDERLYING ADDICTION, RESOCIALIZATION IS NOT POSSIBLE. THE FINE LINE DISTINGUISHING LEGAL FROM ILLEGAL DRUGS DOES NOT SEPARATE DEALERS FROM CONSUMERS OR HARD-DRUG USERS FROM SOFT-DRUG USERS, SO THAT ALL ARE FORCED TO RELY ON BLACK MARKET SOURCES WHICH EXPOSE THEM TO THE MOST POTENTIALLY DAMAGING DRUGS. DRUG USERS, WHO KNOW THAT THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW, BECOME SCEPTICAL AND CAUTIOUS; EVENTUALLY THEY ARE UNABLE TO LEAD A SOCIALLY INTEGRATED EXISTENCE. INCARCERATION OF ADDICTS TENDS TO DISRUPT THEIR LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES ENTIRELY, TO DESTROY WHAT REMAINS OF THEIR SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND TO REINFORCE THEIR SCEPTICISM AND FEELINGS OF ISOLATION. FOR THIS REASON, THE LAW PROVIDES FOR PLACEMENT OF ADDICTS IN TREATMENT CENTERS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SOCIAL THERAPEUTIC CENTERS CALLED FOR HAVE NOT YET BEEN CREATED, SO THAT COURTS USE THEIR OWN DISCRETION IN PLACING ADDICTS IN HOSPITALS OR JAILS AND IN REQUIRING TREATMENT FOR RECIDIVISTS ONLY ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. ADDICTION IS NOT LEGALLY AN EXTENUATING MENTAL CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT THERAPY FOR CONVICTED OFFENDERS IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED PREFERABLE TO OUTRIGHT IMPRISONMENT. NEVERTHELESS, THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO EFFECTIVE THERAPY; UNDER PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, ONLY LONG-TERM TREATMENT IN A SUITABLE INSTITUTION IS FEASIBLE. ADDICTED OFFENDERS MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS SICK, BEHAVIORALLY AND DEVELOPMENTALLY DISTURBED PERSONS WITHOUT SOCIAL CONTACTS. --IN GERMAN.