HANDLING THE MENACE OF DRUG ABUSE IN YOUNG VICTIMS: A POLICE-VICTIM INTERFACE

Abstract

Drug abuse among young individuals poses significant psycho-social challenges to societies worldwide. This abstract explores the role of police intervention in handling the issue of drug abuse in young victims. Emphasising the significance of a holistic approach, it underscores the need to integrate law enforcement actions with prevention, treatment, and community assistance. The prevalence of drug abuse among young individuals presents substantial psychological, social, and legal hurdles, underscoring the requirement for comprehensive strategies to intervene effectively and foster a well-being-focused way of life. With the constantly evolving studies regarding the psychology of victims and victimology, recent researchers have initiated attempts at shifting the view of victims of drug abuse from a perspective of criminalisation to that of those who require rehabilitation, treatment, and reintegration into society. Rehabilitation and treatment of victims of drug abuse can also help in the “demand reduction” of substances among vulnerable youth with the assistance of law enforcement interventions. This research paper is aimed at highlighting a shift in the perspective of law enforcement agencies and focuses on the need to view drug addicts as victims and not as criminals. Drug abuse is a harmful phenomenon that can create havoc in the lives of children and youth, causing adverse effects on their social as well as psychological well-being. It is important that the police and other law enforcement agencies, being first responders at a crime scene, explore and understand suitable strategies that allow them to deal effectively with the vulnerable population. An appropriate psycho-education will also facilitate proper rehabilitation and treatment for the victims and help them overcome their shortcomings to be respectably reintegrated into the community. Law enforcement agencies play an essential role in handling the menace of drug abuse among children and the youth. This paper suggests a suitable and effective Rehabilitation model with a police-victim interface, prioritising treatment over punishment.