NCJ Number
90718
Journal
Rassegna penitenziaria e criminologica Volume: 4 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (January-June 1982) Pages: 219-241
Date Published
1982
Length
23 pages
Annotation
The criminal aspects of drug addiction favor therapeutic intervention within the prison system.
Abstract
As shown by a study of drug addicts serving prison sentences in Southern Italy, the international drug trafficking system has had a strong impact on the general problem of drug addiction. Drug addiction is linked closely with organized crime, and as such it is responsible for diverse manifestations of social as well as individual pathology. Six case studies of drug-addicted prisoners illustrate the intensity of the problem of drug addiction among convicts and the potential beneficial effect of appropriate therapy on both physical and psychological addiction. Penal institutions are in an ideal position to screen for, diagnose, and treat addiction to alcohol, hashish, heroin, morphine, and other narcotic substances. The optimal multidisciplinary team should consist of the director of the institution, his social assistant, an expert in sociology, an educator, a neurologist, and a psychologist.