1. Proceedings and restrictive measures.

The following tables 1 and 2 report data collected biannually by the

Ministry of Justice

about the proceedings and restrictive measures for drug related offenses.

The trends are well evidentiated by the graph of index numbers reported in

graph 1 (A, B, C). We can observe, in particular, that, for what concerns

the number of proceedings for drug production and dealing in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90) as reported in column A, after a rapid increase

just after the approval of the new law, the trend is reverted since 1993,

possibly due to the referendum that decriminalized the personal possession

of illegal drugs. For the number of proceedings for drug production and

traffic in associated form (Art. 74, L.309/90) the trend is still increasing.

For what concerns the number of restrictive measures pertaining to crimes

of drug addiction and

the number of expulsions of foreigners (Art.86), the trends are increasing,

while the number of restrictive measures towards drug addicts is decreasing

since 1993 showing a trend very similar to that of proceedings for art.73..

The influence of the 1993 referendum can be also observed by looking at

QGF=proportion of measures towards drug addicts (G/F). If we compare the

values of QGF over the first 5 periods with the values over the other 4

periods by means of a normal test on proportions, we find that the two values

(0.64 and 0.52) produce a value u=38.9 that is highly significant. The same can

be observed for what concerns the last column of table 2 (ratio between the

number of suspended proceedings revoked and the number of proceedings

suspended due to choice of treatment program (Art.76 no 7)) with respect to

the same two periods. As a matter of fact, we obtain that the two values

(0.24 and 0.10), produce a value u=7.8, again highly significant. In conclusion

it seems that the 1993 referendum has resulted in a softer repression policy

concerning drug addicts.

Table 1

Proceedings opened for drug-related offenses (source Ministry of Justice)

LEGENDA:

A=Number of proceedings for drug production and dealing in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90);

B=Number of proceedings for drug production and traffic in associated

form (Art. 74, L.309/90);

C=Number of proceedings for facilitation of drug use (Art. 79, L.309/90);

D=Number of proceedings for instigation, proselytism and inducement to

crime of minors (Art. 82, L.309/90);

E=Number of proceedings for interruption of treatment program or other

violation of art.76 (Art. 75 and 76, L.309/90);

F=Number of restrictive measures pertaining to crimes of drug addiction;

G=Number of restrictive measures towards drug addicts;

QGF=proportion of measures towards drug addicts (G/F).

PERIOD A B C D E F G QGF

**************** ***** **** *** ** **** ***** **** ******

II semester 1990 20434 936 176 24 146 6253 3960 .6333

I semester 1991 33845 1228 151 28 506 11261 6100 .54169

II semester 1991 42202 1173 261 20 930 8715 6446 .73964

I semester 1992 44818 1680 65 15 974 11177 6867 .61439

II semester 1992 43197 1792 79 36 2565 10253 7231 .70526

I semester 1993 39289 1923 46 17 1240 9486 5284 .55703

II semester 1993 33262 1782 161 43 369 9438 4945 .52395

I semester 1994 42758 2614 84 20 215 11423 5733 .50188

II semester 1994 38143 1763 86 26 167 10678 5262 .49279

Table 2

Restrictive measures related to proceedings for drug related offenses (source Ministry of Justice)

LEGENDA:

F=Number of restrictive measures pertaining to crimes of drug addiction;

G=Number of restrictive measures towards drug addicts;

H=Number of proceedings suspended due to choice of treatment program

(Art.76 no 7)

I=Number of suspended proceedings revoked;

L=Number of expulsions of foreigners (Art.86);

M=Number of suspension of detention penalties (Art. 90);

N=Number of suspension of detention penalties revoked (Art. 93);

O=Number of dalayed or neglected actions (Art. 98).

PERIOD F G H I L M N O L/F I/H

**************** ***** **** *** *** *** **** ** *** ******* *******

II semester 1990 6253 3960 73 1 166 530 3 139 .026547 .013699

I semester 1991 11261 6100 190 16 216 883 33 163 .019181 .084211

II semester 1991 8715 6446 178 54 254 919 39 20 .029145 .30337

I semester 1992 11177 6867 248 82 237 1077 36 32 .021204 .33065

II semester 1992 10253 7231 449 121 277 803 52 28 .027016 .26949

I semester 1993 9486 5284 136 15 299 848 18 34 .03152 .11029

II semester 1993 9438 4945 240 10 462 682 13 38 .048951 .041667

I semester 1994 11423 5733 139 24 343 660 29 23 .030027 .17266

II semester 1994 10678 5262 34 6 282 842 18 22 .026409 .17647

2. Persons detained and imprisoned.

In table 3A the time series are reported for what concerns the numbers of persons

detained, drug addicts detained and the number of HIV positives detained, the

data (prevalences) are collected at the end of any period as reported in the table

(source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative Directorate). The

proportions are computed for the present report.

Table 3A

Persons detained (prevalence), drug addicts detained and HIV positive persons detained

(source Ministry of Justice)

LEGENDA:

NDET=number of persons detained;

NDETTD=number of drug addicts detained;

QTD=NDETTD/NDET;

NDETSIER=number of HIV positive persons detained;

QSIER=NDETSIER/NDET;

NSIERTD=number of HIV positive drug addicts detained;

QSIERTD=NSIERTD/NDETTD;

Z=Proportion of HIV positive persons within non drug addicts;

W=QSIERTD/Z=ratio of the proportion of HIV positive persons within drug addicts and

the proportion of HIV positive persons within non drug addicts.

PERIOD NDET NDETTD QTD NDETSIER QSIER NSIERTD QSIERTD

**************** ***** ****** ****** ******** ******* ******* *******

II semester 1990 25573 7299 .28542 2489 .097329 2378 .3258

I semester 1991 30774 9623 .3127 2838 .092221 2770 .28785

II semester 1991 35168 11540 .32814 3169 .09011 3030 .26256

I semester 1992 44108 13970 .31672 3884 .088057 3731 .26707

II semester 1992 46968 14818 .31549 3530 .075158 3377 .2279

I semester 1993 51513 15531 .3015 3638 .070623 3413 .21975

II semester 1993 49983 15135 .3028 3407 .068163 3170 .20945

I semester 1994 54098 15957 .29496 2987 .055215 2797 .17528

II semester 1994 50723 14742 .29064 2772 .05465 2583 .17521

I semester 1995 51530 15336 .29761 2469 .047914 2194 .14306

The trends of detention and detention of addicts show the same shape as

can be seen in graph 2A, where the index numbers of the first 3 columns of

table 3A are reported. but, even if the shapes of the first 2 columns are very

similar, we can observe that after 1992 the differential in the trend

of the second is

decreasing more rapidly than that of the first so that the ratio QTD

(the third curve in the graph) is decreasing since that period.

For what concerns HIV positivity in jail we can observe that the general situation

is slightly improving as all the figures and indicators reported in table 3A

are decreasing, namely the last 4 columns of the table.

If we go in more details we find some reason of concern. Looking at

the columns of table 3B and graphs 2B (index numbers), 2C (relative risk

Addicts/Non Addicts) and 2D (proportion within non addicts) we observe that the

trend

related to HIV positivity is rapidly decreasing within addict population but it is

increasing within non addict population (see also regression lines in graphs 2C and

2D). This could mean that the HIV is now

spreading in the so called normal population and, at least for imprisoned persons,

we already observe and HIV prevalence about 0.65% (graph 2D). If the same

proportion would apply to the whole italian population, this would mean, with the

correction for age and sex specificity, about 100,000 and 200,000 HIV positives.

Table 3B

PERIOD QSIERTD Z W ISIERTD IZ IW

**************** ******* ******** ****** ******* ******* *******

II semester 1990 .3258 .0060742 53.636 100 100 100

I semester 1991 .28785 .003215 89.535 88.353 52.928 166.93

II semester 1991 .26256 .0058829 44.632 80.591 96.85 83.213

I semester 1992 .26707 .0050766 52.608 81.975 83.577 98.083

II semester 1992 .2279 .0047589 47.888 69.951 78.347 89.284

I semester 1993 .21975 .0062531 35.143 67.451 102.95 65.521

II semester 1993 .20945 .006801 30.797 64.288 111.96 57.418

I semester 1994 .17528 .0049815 35.187 53.801 82.011 65.603

II semester 1994 .17521 .0052528 33.356 53.78 86.477 62.19

I semester 1995 .14306 .0075979 18.829 43.911 125.09 35.105

In the following table 4 incidences are reported, corresponding to the

period indicated, for the total number, the number of addicts and

the same numbers for what concerns offenses related to art.73.

(source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative Directorate),

proportions are computed for the present report.

As can be seen looking at the proportion reported in the tird column and by the

graph 3A, the trends of the incidences are

similar to those for prevalences reported above, but the reverted trend

of imprisonment of addicts is even more evident in this case. Could this mean

that the market of drugs is decreasing? It seems difficult to state and there are

evidences that this is not true. Remaining to table 4, the column Q73

(ratio between the incidence of persons imprisoned for art.73 and the incidence

of the total of the persons imprisoned in the same period), that

is more or less constant during time, shows that it is still increasing

the incidence of persons entering in jail for drug production and traffic

in individual form, even if most of them are no more addicts as in the previous

periods.

Table 4

Persons detained (incidence) for drug production and traffic in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90) (source Ministry of Justice)

LEGENDA:

NDET73=Persons detained for drug production and traffic in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90);

Q73=NDET73/NDET

NDETTD73=drug addicts detained for drug production and traffic in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90);

Q1TD73=NDETTD73/NDET73;

Q2TD73=NDETTD73/NDETTD.

PERIOD NDET NDETTD QTD NDET73 Q73 NDETTD73 Q1TD73 Q2TD73

**************** ***** ******* ****** ****** ****** ******** ****** ******

I semester 1991 38327 13645 .35602 14435 .37663 7297 .50551 .53477

II semester 1991 40422 15189 .37576 17719 .43835 8343 .47085 .54928

I semester 1992 47250 16573 .35075 18693 .39562 9272 .49601 .55946

II semester 1992 47113 16627 .35292 18207 .38645 9626 .5287 .57894

I semester 1993 52320 17014 .32519 17072 .3263 8846 .51816 .51992

II semester 1993 47128 15539 .32972 15797 .33519 7560 .47857 .48652

I semester 1994 52854 16048 .30363 19903 .37657 8295 .41677 .51689

II semester 1994 47325 15417 .32577 17612 .37215 8135 .4619 .52766

I semester 1995 50366 14788 .29361 18411 .36554 7514 .40813 .50811

If we go more in dept, as can be easily seen the proportion of addicts

entering in jail due to art.73

is decreasing since 1993 (effect of referendum?). This can be better shown in

graph 3B where the ratio is reported between the number of addicts entering

for other causes and those entering due to art.73. together with the straight line

representing the regression with respect to time that well shows the trend. We

can

use the incidence of addicts entering for other cause (maily acquisitive crime)

to estimate at least the order of magnitude of the population of addicts

involved in actions of acquisitive crime. If we consider that the proportion

of persons involved in acquisitive crime that is known to the police is

maily 2.5% (suppose that for addicts it is 5%) and that the proportion of

acquisitive crimes that are known is about 70%, we can estimate that at least

250,000 addicts are involved in these actions in the last 2 years. If we add the

number of addicts who are not involved we can easily estimate that the total

population of drug addicts in Italy is well above 300,000.

In table 5 we find the figures regarding the incidence of foreigners

imprisoned (source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative

Directorate). In graphs 4A and 4B the trends can be read. The data

related to 1993 are affected by the new law concerning the matter of

regularization of foreigners so that few, with respect to the previous and next

years, of them were arrested in that year.

Table 5

Foreigners detained (incidence) (source Ministry of Justice)

LEGENDA:

NTD=number of drug addicts detained;

TOTS=number of foreigners detained;

QS=TOTS/NDET

TOTSTD=number of foreigners drug addicts detained;

QSTD=TOTTDS/NDET

QTDS=TOTTDS/TOTS

MISALTER=number of punishments alternative to incarceration assumed for drug

addicts;

QALTER=MISALTER/NTD.

PERIOD NDET NTD TOTS QS TOTTDS QSTD QTDS MISALTER QALTER

**************** ***** ***** ***** ******* ****** ****** ****** ******** ******

II semester 1991 40422 15189 8558 .21172 1741 .11462 .20344 1952 .12851

I semester 1992 47250 16573 7568 .16017 2390 .14421 .3158 3062 .18476

II semester 1992 47113 16627 4335 .092013 2255 .13562 .52018 2632 .1583

I semester 1993 52320 17014 9723 .18584 2328 .13683 .23943 3762 .22111

II semester 1993 47128 15539 10596 .22483 2176 .14003 .20536 4468 .28753

I semester 1994 52854 16048 12497 .23644 2805 .17479 .22445 6312 .39332

II semester 1994 47325 15417 12462 .26333 2765 .17935 .22187 5524 .35831

I semester 1995 50366 14788 12437 .24693 2637 .17832 .21203 6855 .46355

For what concerns art.73 we can

observe the impact of the 1993 referendum in the following table 6 (Q73S).

This ratio measures the proportion of foreigners who were imprisoned due

to offense to art.73 and is decreasing since 1993. If we compare the averaged

proportions before and after 1993 as above (table 1 and 2) we obtain again

that the difference is highly significant.

The proportion of foreigners out of persons who were imprisoned for offenses

to art.73 is rather constant, while some trends can be observed for the last two

columns of table 6 (graph 4C).

Table 6

LEGENDA:

NDETS73=Foreigners detained for drug production and traffic in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90) (incidence); (source Ministry of Justice)

QS73=NDETS73/NDET73

Q73S=NDETS73/TOTS

NTD73=drug addicts detained for drug production and traffic in individual

form (Art. 73, L.309/90);

NDETTDS73=number of foreigner drug addicts detained for art.73;

Q1TDS73=NDETTDS73/NDETTD73;

Q2TDS73=NDETTDS73/TOTS.

PERIOD NDET73 NDETS73 NTD73 QS73 Q73S Q1TDS73 Q2TDS73

**************** ******* ******* ***** ****** ****** ******* *******

II semester 1991 17719 4907 8343 .27693 .57338 .12837 .21826

I semester 1992 18693 3993 9272 .21361 .52762 .17947 .41673

II semester 1992 18207 3867 9626 .21239 .89204 .15032 .37419

I semester 1993 17072 3256 8846 .19072 .33488 .14933 .40571

II semester 1993 15797 4161 7560 .2634 .3927 .16706 .30353

I semester 1994 19903 5226 8295 .26257 .41818 .2 .31745

II semester 1994 17612 4983 8135 .28293 .39986 .20848 .34036

I semester 1995 18411 4991 7514 .27109 .4013 .21334 .32118

In table 7 we find the age distribution of addicts detained (prevalence) in

terms of percentages (source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative

Directorate). As can be seen we have that:

- in 1987 91.19% of the addicts are between 18 and 39 years old;

- in 1991 86.32% of the addicts are between 18 and 39 years old;

- in 1995 88.84% of the addicts are between 18 and 39 years old;

- the proportion of minors is increasing and then decreasing, the same is

the proportion of the oldest so that the interpretation is rather difficult

even if we could say that there is some slight evidence that the population

is getting older.

Table 7

Age distributions of addicts detained (1987, 1991, 1995) (source Ministry of Justice)

YEAR

AGE 1987 1991 1995

***** ***** ******** *******

<18 .07 .92453 .2628

18-20 2.68 7.0948 2.8324

21-29 56.22 47.121 44.754

30-39 32.29 32.107 41.259

40-49 6.35 9.5769 9.2856

>49 2.39 3.1756 1.606

For what concerns the substances of abuse by addicts detained, the figures

are reported in table 9 and the columns of the table correspond to the code

reported in table 8 (source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative

Directorate). The proportions are computed for the present report.

Table 8

Codes of the substances

SUBSTAN SUBCODE

************ *******

alcool A

amphetamines B

cannabis C

cocain D

heroin E

inhalants F

methadone G

morphin H

other I

Table 9

Persons detained (prevalence) classified with respect to age and substance of abuse

(source Ministry of Justice, sample survey)

LEGENDA:

as reported in table 8 for different substances;

QA=proportion of alcool;

QC=proportion of cannabis;

QD=proportion of cocain;

QE=proportion of heroin.

S U B S T A N C E

AGE A QA B C QC D QD E QE F G H I TOT

***** ** ********* * *** ******* *** ******* **** ****** * ** ** *** ****

<18 0 0 0 8 .2963 1 .037037 18 .66667 0 0 0 0 27

18-20 1 .0034364 1 24 .082474 16 .054983 228 .78351 0 2 3 16 291

21-29 20 .0043497 3 126 .027403 275 .059809 3871 .84189 1 42 20 240 4598

30-39 44 .01038 8 94 .022175 400 .094362 3385 .79854 3 50 25 230 4239

40-49 39 .040881 1 20 .020964 240 .25157 580 .60797 3 14 8 49 954

>49 23 .13939 1 2 .012121 69 .41818 53 .32121 0 0 3 14 165

(source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative

Directorate)

Table 10

Codes of educational levels

EDUCAT EDUCODE

************************** *******

University degree EA

high school degree EB

professional school degree EC

mid school degree ED

elementary school degree EE

without any kind of degree EF

not able to read or write EG

Table 11

Persons detained (prevalence) classified according to age and educational level

(source Ministry of Justice, sample survey)

codified as reported in table 10.

LEGENDA:

TOTEDU=total;

QEF=EF/TOTEDU;

QEG=EG/TOTEDU.

AGE EA EB EC ED EE EF EG TOTEDU QEF QEG

***** ** *** *** **** **** *** ** ****** ******* ********

<18 0 1 0 6 15 1 1 24 .041667 .041667

18-20 0 2 3 72 112 30 9 228 .13158 .039474

21-29 22 106 116 1601 1358 268 45 3516 .076223 .012799

30-39 32 18 151 1592 1135 169 25 3122 .054132 .0080077

40-49 11 42 38 272 284 39 5 691 .05644 .0072359

>49 1 7 8 43 50 3 3 115 .026087 .026087

(source Ministry of Justice: Penitentiary Administrative

Directorate)

Table 12

Minors detained (incidence) in 1993, classified according to addcition,

substance and institution of detention (total 884).

Institution

substance CPA% IPM% SSM%

and addiction

Opioids 21 40 21

Cocain 4 8 3.5

Cannabis 52 23 41

Other 2 3 5.5

More than 1 subs. 21 26 29

irregular user 44 24 47

regular user 42 32 32

addict 14 44 21

LEGENDA:

CPA=Centri di Prima Accoglienza;

IPM=Istituti Penali Minorili;

SSM=Servizi Sociali Minorili.

Drug related deaths are maily connected to heroin use

(alone or with other substances). According to data of the Ministry of Interior

elaborated by the Ministry of Health (1989-1992) at least 99% of the deaths

are due to heroin alone or heroin and other substances (more than 12% in

1992), mainly cocain and alcool.