A droga como dispositivo de controle social: uma análise das representações sociais do álcool, maconha e crack na imprensa brasileira / Las drogas como dispositivo de control social: un análisis de las representaciones sociales del alcohol, la marihuana y el crack en la prensa brasileña / Drugs as a social control device: an analysis of the social representations of alcohol, marijuana and crack in the brazilian press

RESUMO. As drogas se consolidam como um dos arquétipos culturais predominantes no cotidiano das sociedades urbanas, sendo sua presença ubíqua em praticamente todas as culturas. Os registros históricos apresentam ampla variabilidade de substâncias que em dado momento eram classificadas como o perigo social da época e que em outro se tornavam banalizadas ou tipificadas como inofensivas. Assim, esse estudo teve como objetivo analisar como dispositivo droga que se consolida em diferentes períodos históricos. Para isso, foram coletadas 4.227 matérias dos jornais Folha da Manhã, Folha da Noite e Folha de São Paulo, que abordassem questões relativas ao álcool (década de 1920), maconha (décadas de 1930 a 1960) e crack (década de 1980 a 2005) e realizada Análise Temática de Conteúdo. Os resultados permitem afirmar que a característica central que define todas as substâncias analisadas nos distintos momentos históricos é o risco social que ela apresenta. A droga se constitui como um risco aos usuários ao mesmo tempo que os institui enquanto uma figura de ameaça social. Ao se referenciar uma substância como uma droga, são ativados sentidos que remetem a um quadro de decadência e criminalidade.

RESUMEN. Las drogas se consolidan como uno de los arquetipos culturales predominantes en la vida cotidiana de las sociedades urbanas, y su presencia ubicua en prácticamente todas las culturas. Los registros históricos muestran una amplia variabilidad de sustancias que en un momento se clasificaron como el peligro social de la época y en otro momento se trivializaron o tipificaron como inofensivas. Así que este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar cómo diferentes sustancias psicoactivas se encuentran en la prensa como un riesgo social en diferentes momentos. Para ello, se recogieron 4.227 artículos del periódico Folha da Manhã, Folha da Noite y Folha de São Paulo, que abordasen temas relacionados con el alcohol (1920), marihuana (1930 a 1960) y el crack (1980 a 2005) y se realizó un Análisis Temático de Contenido. Los resultados muestran que la característica definitoria de todas las drogas examinadas en los diferentes momentos históricos es el riesgo social que presenta. La droga se constituye como un riesgo para los usuarios mientras los establece como una figura de amenaza social. Al hacer referencia a una sustancia como droga, se activan sentidos que conducen a un marco de decadencia y criminalidad.

ABSTRACT Drugs are one of the predominant cultural archetypes in the daily life of urban societies, and their ubiquitous presence in almost all cultures. Historical records show a wide variability of substances that at one point were classified as the social danger of the time and at another time trivialized or typified as harmless. Thus, this study aimed to analyze how different psychoactive substances are constituted in the press as a social risk at different times. For this, we collected 4,227 articles of newspapers Folha da Manhã, Folha da Noite and Folha de São Paulo, that addressed issues related to alcohol (1920), marijuana (1930s to 1960) and crack (1980s to 2005) and performed a Thematic Content Analysis. The results indicate that the central defining characteristic of all drugs examined in the different historical moments is the social risk it has. The drug is constituted as a risk to users while establishing them as a figure of social threat. When referring a substance as a drug, senses are activated that denote to a situation of decadence and crime.

Developmental lead exposure and adult criminal behavior: A 30-year prospective birth cohort study.

Using a variety of research designs and measures of lead absorption, numerous studies link childhood lead exposure to a range of cognitive and behavioral deficits, including low IQ, impulsivity, juvenile delinquency, and criminal behavior in adolescence and early adulthood. In this study, we tested the association between multiple measures of blood lead concentration assessed in childhood with criminal behavior in adulthood and across the life-course. Prospective data from the Cincinnati Lead Study (CLS) included blood lead measures quarterly across the first 78 months of life and the number of times a person was arrested across the life-course (from age 18 to 33 years) and in later adulthood (age 27 to 33 years). Childhood blood lead concentration prospectively predicted variation in adult arrests and arrests over the life-course, indicating lead absorption is implicated in the etiology of crime-especially in geographic areas where environmental sources of lead are more prevalent and concentrated. Efforts to decrease lead exposure in both developed and developing countries should be part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce social dislocation and crime.

Crystalline methamphetamine (ice) use prior to youth detention: A forensic concern or a public health issue?

Links between crystalline methamphetamine (CM) use and criminal offending are often drawn in the media; however, there has been little scientific research into this relationship. The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence and correlates of lifetime CM use among a sample of young people in detention in Australia and to examine whether an association exists between lifetime CM use and recidivism in this population.The sample included 202 young people (164 males) in youth detention in the state of Victoria, Australia. Participants were administered questionnaires related to lifetime substance use and socio-environmental experiences. Lifetime mental health data and offending data were obtained for each participant from public mental health and policing databases. More than one third (38%) of the sample reported lifetime CM use. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, older age, male gender, polysubstance use, and high levels of community disorganisation were associated with CM use. The presence of a psychiatric diagnosis over the lifetime was not significantly associated with CM use. CM use was also not significantly associated with violent recidivism. Efforts to address CM use and related harm in detained youth should include community-based strategies to reduce CM use among this vulnerable population following their release from detention. However, the findings suggest that CM use on its own is unlikely to be an important consideration for professionals concerned with determining which young people should be selected for treatment designed to reduce the risk of violent recidivism.

The Psychedelic Renaissance and Its Forensic Implications.

Recent years have seen a renaissance of research into the use of psychedelic compounds to address various psychiatric conditions. The study of these substances went dormant in 1970 when the United States government passed the Controlled Substances Act, which categorized lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or acid, as a Schedule I drug. The rise of psychedelics in research settings raises questions regarding their risks outside of clinical trials. The available data on the impact of psychedelic use on interpersonal violence and other criminal behavior remain scant. Although Timothy Leary's work of the 1960s failed to clearly demonstrate a reduction in criminal recidivism with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, recent studies suggest that the use of psychedelics may reduce individuals' risk of interpersonal violence. Forensic psychiatrists should be aware of this research, as well as the role that psychedelics may play in various forensic assessments. This article summarizes basic information that the forensic practitioner should know about psychedelic substances, including their various effects and proposed mechanism of action; describes historical and recent research into psychedelics and criminal behavior; and offers evaluators a practical means by which to assess individuals' psychedelic use in forensic contexts.

Recovery-Oriented Outcomes Associated with Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in an Urban Safety-Net Population.

This study examined whether transitioning patients from oral antipsychotics (POs) to long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) helps patients achieve recovery-oriented goals. Data was extracted from San Francisco County's electronic medical record system for this retrospective pre-post observational study. Patients reflect a safety-net population treated in community-based mental health settings during 2015. The San Francisco Adult Strengths and Needs Assessment (SF ANSA), a measure of psychosocial functioning, was used to assess within-subject change when treated with POs versus LAIs. In our study sample (N = 77), LAI SF ANSA scores showed significant improvements in criminal behaviors (p = .017), medication adherence (p = .008), and spirituality (p = .028), and a non-significant trend for residential stability (p = .073). This is the first study to evaluate improvements in key psychosocial areas after treatment with LAIs. This work suggests that LAIs can be another tool for providers to help patients work towards their recovery-oriented goals.

The relationships of classic psychedelic use with criminal behavior in the United States adult population.

Criminal behavior exacts a large toll on society and is resistant to intervention. Some evidence suggests classic psychedelics may inhibit criminal behavior, but the extent of these effects has not been comprehensively explored. In this study, we tested the relationships of classic psychedelic use and psilocybin use per se with criminal behavior among over 480,000 United States adult respondents pooled from the last 13 available years of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002 through 2014) while controlling for numerous covariates. Lifetime classic psychedelic use was associated with a reduced odds of past year larceny/theft (aOR = 0.73 (0.65-0.83)), past year assault (aOR = 0.88 (0.80-0.97)), past year arrest for a property crime (aOR = 0.78 (0.65-0.95)), and past year arrest for a violent crime (aOR = 0.82 (0.70-0.97)). In contrast, lifetime illicit use of other drugs was, by and large, associated with an increased odds of these outcomes. Lifetime classic psychedelic use, like lifetime illicit use of almost all other substances, was associated with an increased odds of past year drug distribution. Results were consistent with a protective effect of psilocybin for antisocial criminal behavior. These findings contribute to a compelling rationale for the initiation of clinical research with classic psychedelics, including psilocybin, in forensic settings.

Has Psychiatric Medication Reduced Crime and Delinquency?

Several strands of research are consistent with the possibility that expansions in psychiatric medication usage have reduced crime and delinquency. Estimates suggest that medication usage has increased to as much as 9% of the youth population and up to 20% of the adult population in the United States and is high among populations associated with the criminal justice system. Studies show that four classes of commonly used psychiatric medication do reduce aggressive behavior, and crime rates are lower among diagnosed patients receiving such medications compared to those not. Prescriptions for medication increased fivefold for youth during the time that crime has declined in the United States and elsewhere, and two population-level analyses find some association between prescription rates and crime trends over time. However, true experimental studies are lacking, and one of the better trend studies does not show strong associations. This article proposes a research agenda for this issue.

Hospital Admission and Criminality Associated with Substance Misuse in Young Refugees - A Swedish National Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: High rates of mental health problems have been described in young refugees, but few studies have been conducted on substance misuse. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of hospital care and criminality associated with substance misuse in refugees who settled in Sweden as teenagers. METHODS: Gender stratified Cox regression models were used to estimate the risks of criminal convictions and hospital care associated with substance misuse from national Swedish data for 2005-2012. We focused on 22,992 accompanied and 5,686 unaccompanied refugees who were aged 13-19 years when they settled in Sweden and compared them with 1 million native Swedish youths from the same birth cohort. RESULTS: The risks of criminal conviction associated with substance misuse increased with the length of residency in male refugees, after adjustment for age and domicile. The hazard ratios (HRs) were 5.21 (4.39-6.19) for unaccompanied and 3.85 (3.42-4.18) for accompanied refugees after more than 10 years of residency, compared with the native population. The risks were slightly lower for hospital care, at 2.88 (2.18-3.79) and 2.52(2.01-3.01) respectively. Risks were particularly pronounced for male refugees from the Horn of Africa and Iran. The risks for all male refugees decreased substantially when income was adjusted for. Young female refugees had similar risks to the general population. CONCLUSION: The risks of criminality and hospital care associated with substance misuse in young male refugees increased with time of residency in Sweden and were associated with a low level of income compared with the native Swedish population. Risks were similar in accompanied and unaccompanied refugees.

Zolpidem, Complex Sleep-Related Behaviour and Volition.

A commonly prescribed hypnotic, Zolpidem, has been linked to accidental death, driving offences and a very uncommon legal defence ­ automatism. The deaths and prima facie criminal behaviour that have triggered legal concern and considerable publicity have occurred while the person was in a sleep-like state and apparently acting involuntarily after ingesting the drug. Australian courts have had a mixed response to these claims, and have closely examined the expert evidence that is essential to establishing the link between the conduct and the medication. Accepting that a connection has been established, in 2014 a Victorian Coroner suggested that guidelines issued in Australia should reduce recommended dosages of Zolpidem and increase warnings about adverse effects. However, forensic issues associated with unpredictable, complex sleep-related behaviour triggered by Zolpidem will not be resolved entirely by these changes. Exploration of the legal implications of this conduct is essential as the issue is likely to be of continuing and particular significance in Australia, where reports of adverse effects associated with this hypnotic have been more frequent than in other countries.