Guidelines for Implementing the Community Justice System to Prevent and Solve Drug Problems in Children and Youth in Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

        The report entitled, “Guidelines for Adapting Community Justice Process in preventing and solving problem on narcotic use among children and youth in Samut Prakarn Province was conducted as the qualitative research in order to explore narcotics problems among children and youth in Samut Prakarn Province through the adoption of appropriate measures and seeking guidelines to prevent and solve

narcotic problems in Samut Prakarn Province, engaging in the community participation. Document analysis was done together with field data collection through the in-depth interview among the government agencies involved with community justice process. The acquired data was used in the interpretation and identify accurate key issues with accountability in order to prepare proposed guidelines for further problems-solving.  

          The findings suggest that the narcotics epidemic among the children and youth in Samut Prakarn Province at present has been a serious issue since the first-time narcotic addicts, namely, children and youth are more likely at younger age. Also, they are very likely using more than one type of narcotic together at the same time. In the era of social media or technology plays important role in our society, children and youth can easily and conveniently access narcotics and become more hazardous substances. This has made narcotics epidemic and number of drug addicts among children and youth kept rising. Furthermore, children and youth has been victimized by drug trafficking process because the narcotic trader knew that the laws used for punishing children and youth are less punishable than those of adults. Children and youth are often assigned as the narcotics sellers or smugglers. It was found that the appropriate model adapted for preventive measures and solving narcotics problems among the children and youth at Samut Sakorn Province should be handled by the community members themselves or becoming a partner to prevent crime with the state sector. This may ask the government agency or the officials to act as the mentor while conducting activities. Besides, the community should take part in helping to return drug offenders to the community and society as to provide the opportunity for the drug user to receive good rehabilitation, pre-post treatment and community should create understanding and opportunity for the drug offenders to make livelihood and avoid relapse. Moreover, the guidelines for preventing and solving narcotics problems among the children and youth at Samut Prakarn Province with the community participation should start from the family because it is the main institution most closely connected to children and youth. Therefore, family is the first institution to build the best immunity for children and youth. At community level, all members should be aware of narcotics problems by focusing on narcotics’ problems, at least monitoring the situation, put surveillance on community members, not to fall into the drug trap as well as observe the drug user and trader. This included building strong community through activities enhancing unity among members.

       The author recommends all government agencies involved to establish clear and concreate measures to prevent and solve narcotics’ problems, leading to community with strength. The government officials should give priority to solve narcotics problems as well as continue monitoring and assessing results of former drug addicts who had been through rehabilitation if they are fit to return to the family or community. This is done by nurturing, giving advice and moral support, including motivation for both former drug users and family members so that the former drug users can maintain living in society as regular member without using drugs again. Furthermore, community members should understand and aware of the existing problems by cooperate and sacrifice time to seriously solving problems. The community leader should build attitude or opportunity for the former drug addicts returning to the community again just to reduce the chance of children and youth to use narcotics again.