Criminal Drug Policy by Thereza Cristina Coitinho Das Neves

Criminal Drug Policy by Thereza Cristina Coitinho Das Neves

This book presents a critical examination of the global drug prohibition system, focusing on its historical development, societal impact, and inherent contradictions. Drawing from a wide array of interdisciplinary perspectives—spanning law, politics, history, sociology, and economics—the author explores how the criminalization of certain substances has not only failed to curb illicit drug use but also created harmful collateral consequences, particularly in Latin America.

The book critiques the so-called "War on Drugs," initiated in the 1970s, and highlights its detrimental effects on marginalized communities, particularly in Brazil, where militarized police forces control poverty-stricken areas. Through a compelling analysis of the legal and geopolitical factors behind drug prohibition, it highlights the illegitimacy and social costs of punitive drug policies. This book emphasizes the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards drug regulation, arguing that the current punitive approach exacerbates human rights violations and perpetuates systemic violence.

The work further offers practical solutions for reform, proposing alternative models of drug control that prioritize harm reduction and public health. With a focus on the necessity of global cooperation and the ethical imperative to protect human dignity, the book challenges readers to rethink entrenched ideologies surrounding drug use and criminal justice.

Dr. Thereza Cristina Coitinho das Neves holds a PhD in Law (2021) and a Master’s in Criminal Law (2012) from the University of Salamanca. She has conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Germany and at the University of Buenos Aires under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni. A member of the European Society of Criminology since 2014, she also attended the Summer School in Criminal Sciences and German Criminal Law Dogmatics at the University of Göttingen in 2013. Dr. Neves has presented lectures internationally and authored numerous academic publications in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Her work focuses on criminal sciences, with a particular emphasis on drug policy and its implications within legal and political systems. Her research engages with comparative and critical approaches to drug criminalization in Latin America and beyond.