ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND CRIMINALITY IN CHILE (FROM INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CRIMINOLOGY, 3RD - ANNALS OFFICIAL PAPERS - DRUG ABUSE AND CRIMINALITY, 1977 SEE NCJ-53897)

• NCJ Number: 53899
• Author(s): M A GONZALES-BERENDIQUE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 36 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: Spanish
• Country: Chile
• Note: SYMPOSIUM SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICO-FORENSIC CRIMINOLOGY, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND ADDICTIONS, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL MEDICINE AND CRIMINOLOGY OF SAO PAULO

Annotation

THE PROBLEMS OF ALCOHOLISM, ALCOHOL-RELATED CRIMES, AND DRUG ABUSE IN CHILE ARE EVALUATED IN TERMS OF PREVALENCE, SOCIAL REACTION, AND POLITICAL CONTROL.

Abstract

THE PERCENTAGE OF ALCOHOLICS IN THE POPULATION OVER 15 YEARS OF AGE IN CHILE IS 5.1 PERCENT; EXCESSIVE DRINKING IS ABOUT 7.7 PERCENT. THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT OF ALCOHOLISM IS ENORMOUS IN TERMS OF HOMICIDE, SUICIDE, ILLNESS, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, AND FAMILY AND WORK DISRUPTIONS. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT EXCESSIVE DRINKING AND ESPECIALLY CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM OFTEN LEAD TO VAGRANCY, BEGGING, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, AND OTHER MINOR INFRACTIONS. WHEN SERIOUS CRIMES ARE COMMITTED BY ALCOHOLICS, IT IS USUALLY DURING EPISODES OF HEAVY DRINKING. TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DRUNK DRIVERS ARE ALSO A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. POLITICAL MEASURES TO CONTROL ALCOHOLISM ARE DISCUSSED: PRIMARY PREVENTION SHOULD INCLUDE MODIFYING THE VALUES AND HABITS OF THE OFFENDERS THROUGH LEGAL OR EDUCATIONAL INSTRUMENTS, SECONDARY PREVENTION SHOULD CONSIST OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT ON THE PART OF HEALTH TEAMS AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, THIRD LEVEL TREATMENT SHOULD INCLUDE REHABILITATION PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE PROGRAM OF ALCOHOLISM CONTROL OF 1971 WHICH IS DESIGNED TO REHABILITATE AND REINTEGRATE THE REFORMED ALCOHOLIC INTO THE COMMUNITY. THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE PRESENTS A DIFFERENT SET OF PROBLEMS. LAWS CONTROLLING DRUG TRAFFIC HAVE BECOME MORE LENIENT, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO HALLUCINOGENS AND INCREASINGLY SO WITH COCAINE. CONSUMPTION IN CHILE IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE, POSSESSION CAN BE AN OFFENSE IF IT IS APPARENT THAT THE PERSON IS SELLING THE DRUG. ALTHOUGH SPARSE DATA EXIST IN THIS AREA, EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT DRUG USE IS SELDOM ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. POLITICAL CONTROLS FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERN AS THOSE FOR ALCOHOL CONTROL: PREVENTION THROUGH LEGAL AND EDUCATIONAL MEANS, TREATMENT OF HABITUAL DRUG USERS, AND REHABILITATION OF ADDICTS THROUGH ORGANIZED PROGRAMS. THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF THE HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND JUSTICE SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO CONTROL THESE COMPLEX PROBLEMS. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (STB)