40 Percent of the Country's Prisoners Are Linked to Drug-Related Crimes

He also emphasized the need to strengthen joint cooperation and use the specialized capacities of responsible bodies to improve the effectiveness of addiction prevention programs.

The President's representative and Secretary General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, referring to the Judiciary's legal position in the field of crime prevention, stated: Macro policymaking, coordination among bodies and planning in this field are of special importance, and in the issue of narcotics, too, by focusing more on preventive measures, the ground must be provided to reduce related crimes and the social consequences arising from them.

Referring to the considerable share of drug-related crimes in the country's prison population, Zolfaghari added: Based on the statistics reviewed, about 40 percent of the country's prisoners are directly or indirectly linked to drug-related crimes; an issue that shows the need for more serious attention to prevention and identifying effective solutions to reduce people's entry into the cycle of crime.

Emphasizing that reducing the prison population and the costs arising from crime requires attention to the roots and factors shaping harms, he stated: We must examine how, by reforming approaches and strengthening preventive measures, the spread of crimes can be prevented. In this path, reviewing some criminal titles, laws and regulations, and also examining the consequences of long-term social deprivations, can be considered.

The President's representative and Secretary General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, referring to past experiences in examining the possibility of converting some crimes into infractions, said: The multiplicity of criminal titles and the breadth of laws and regulations have made managing and controlling all these fields difficult. On the other hand, the continuation of some social deprivations for people who committed crimes in the past may provide the ground for their return to the cycle of infraction and crime. Therefore, these issues need to be examined with an expert view and with the aim of reducing social harms.

The President's representative, criticizing the dispersion of decision-making structures in the field of social harms, noted: In the country, various bodies and groups are active in the field of prevention, numerous meetings are held, various programs and documents are approved and valuable measures are also taken; but the fundamental issue is to what extent these activities have led to tangible and assessable results.

He continued: The multiplicity of laws, regulations, councils and executive structures, alongside the existing problems in the process of legislation and implementation, can cause the dispersion of activities and reduce the effectiveness of measures. Therefore, while identifying existing capacities, structural, legal and executive obstacles must also be examined precisely so that it becomes clear what factors have prevented achieving the expected results.

According to the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, Zolfaghari, referring to the need to evaluate the performance of bodies in the field of prevention, said: Based on the duties set in the Seventh Development Plan, we must be able to present a precise and documented report of our performance. In the field of prevention, too, it must be determined to what extent the measures taken have been able to reduce the tendency toward addiction and prevent the spread of this harm. Merely drafting programs and carrying out activities is not enough; rather, we must measure their results and determine the impact of each measure.

Stating that families and society must feel the tangible effects of preventive measures, he added: Social harms, including addiction, can affect families' lives and the future of the young generation. Therefore, prevention programs need to be designed and implemented in such a way that, while identifying risk factors, they prevent harms from occurring and increase people's awareness and ability to face these threats.

The Secretary General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, emphasizing the need for prevention programs to be proportionate to the breadth of the target population, stated: In prevention planning, we must pay attention to the vast population of school students, university students, families and the working community. One cannot expect to achieve desirable and comprehensive results by implementing limited programs for a small group of this vast population; therefore, it is essential that the scope of programs be expanded and the capacities in various sectors of society be used more effectively.

Emphasizing that addiction prevention must become a universal responsibility, he stated: Every teacher can play a role in raising awareness and prevention, and the family must also have the necessary knowledge and skill to protect its children from social harms. Workplaces, universities and other sectors of society must also actively participate in prevention programs. Achieving this goal requires coherent planning, continuous training and the use of the capacities of all responsible bodies.

Referring to the specialized capacities and experiences of managers and experts active in the field of prevention, Zolfaghari expressed hope that by strengthening management and coordination among bodies, the ground would be provided for implementing more comprehensive and effective programs for target groups, especially families, school students, university students and the working community.

He also announced an addiction prevalence study after about 11 years and said: The initial results of this study show that, overall, there is a relatively increasing trend in the indicators examined, although the situation is better in some fields and in others needs serious attention and intervention. The final results of this study, once completed, will be made available to officials and experts so that, with a more precise understanding of the current situation, they can decide on reforming and improving prevention programs.

The Secretary General of the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, emphasizing the importance of using scientific findings and reliable data in preventive policymaking, noted: Precise knowledge of the addiction situation, identifying at-risk groups and evaluating the effectiveness of measures are among the requirements of correct planning in this field. We must also, in addition to examining the measures we need to take, pay attention to which activities that lack the necessary effectiveness or do not suit society's needs should be avoided.

In conclusion, Zolfaghari, announcing the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters' readiness to cooperate with the Judiciary's Deputy for Crime Prevention and other responsible bodies, stressed: We hope that by synergizing specialized capacities, reviewing structures and programs and strengthening inter-sectoral coordination, we can take more effective measures toward addiction prevention and, focusing on measurable results, take more practical steps to reduce social harms and protect society's health.