ABSTRACT
Drug use in China is both associated with criminal behaviour and regarded as social deviance. Drug addicted offenders can either be assigned criminal punishment or compulsory drug treatment, depending on the severity of the crimes they have committed. Compulsory drug treatment is in many ways similar to imprisonment in China. However, both compulsory drug treatment and imprisonment fail to prevent drug relapse. The authorities have implemented methadone maintenance treatment and non-medical social work interventions, although they are still in their infancy. More efforts should be made to deliver post-institutionalization programmes to help ex-inmates stay away from drugs and crime.
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Liu Liu
Dr. Liu Liu is an associate professor at School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Nanjing University. She received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Hong Kong. Her research interest is substance abuse and rehabilitation of female offenders.
Wing Hong Chui
Dr. Wing Hong Chui is a professor at Department of Applied Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Cambridge. His research interest includes youth delinquency and offender rehabilitation.