Crime, disorder and legal pressure as a result of addiction problems in The Netherlands.
Coercing drug users into treatment might seem contrary to the philosophy of drug addiction care, which sets great store by the user's own motivation. Nevertheless, legal pressure and even force are increasingly being brought to bear in the Netherlands to persuade users to attend drug care programmes. The criminal justice system and the addiction care services have various means at their disposal to motivate addicts to come off drugs. This article discusses the relationship between addiction and crime. It begins with a brief description of how the addiction problem has evolved in the Netherlands over the years. This is followed by an explanation of how crime has developed during the same period and the effect this has had on social services for addicts. The article concludes with some recent policy proposals concerning diversion, coercion and pressurization strategies.
Wolters
R D
RD
Consultation Bureau for Alcohol and Drugs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
D003068:Coercion; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003415:Crime / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*