‘It has gotten a lot better, but it is still bad’: Experiences with the police among marginalized PWUDs in a context of depenalization

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘It has gotten a lot better, but it is still bad’

T2 - Experiences with the police among marginalized PWUDs in a context of depenalization

AU - Kammersgaard, Tobias

AU - Kappel, Nanna

AU - Johansen, Katrine Schepelern

AU - Kronbæk, Mette

AU - Fahnøe, Kristian Relsted

AU - Houborg, Esben

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)

PY - 2024/5

Y1 - 2024/5

N2 - Based on a survey (n = 249) and qualitative interviews (n = 38) with marginalized people who use drugs (PWUDs) in Copenhagen, Denmark, we investigate the experiences of this group with the police in a context where drug possession had been depenalized in and around drug consumption rooms (DCRs). Our findings point to positive experiences with the police, especially with the local community police in the depenalization zone, who refrained from drug law enforcement and practiced 'harm reduction policing.' However, marginalized PWUDs also reported that they were still targeted for drug possession by other sections of the police despite the depenalization policy. Specifically, the drug squad of the police would continue to confiscate illicit drugs for investigatory purposes to counter organized drug crime, as well as continue to target user-dealers who were not formally included in the depenalization policy. The findings illustrate how marginalized PWUDs still found themselves in a precarious legal situation without any legal rights to possess the drugs that they were dependent on, even though possession of drugs had been depenalized in and around DCRs.

AB - Based on a survey (n = 249) and qualitative interviews (n = 38) with marginalized people who use drugs (PWUDs) in Copenhagen, Denmark, we investigate the experiences of this group with the police in a context where drug possession had been depenalized in and around drug consumption rooms (DCRs). Our findings point to positive experiences with the police, especially with the local community police in the depenalization zone, who refrained from drug law enforcement and practiced 'harm reduction policing.' However, marginalized PWUDs also reported that they were still targeted for drug possession by other sections of the police despite the depenalization policy. Specifically, the drug squad of the police would continue to confiscate illicit drugs for investigatory purposes to counter organized drug crime, as well as continue to target user-dealers who were not formally included in the depenalization policy. The findings illustrate how marginalized PWUDs still found themselves in a precarious legal situation without any legal rights to possess the drugs that they were dependent on, even though possession of drugs had been depenalized in and around DCRs.

KW - Decriminalization

KW - Drug consumption rooms

KW - Harm reduction

KW - Lived experiences

KW - Overdose prevention centres

KW - Police

KW - Policing

KW - Humans

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Male

KW - Drug Users/psychology

KW - Harm Reduction

KW - Denmark

KW - Social Marginalization

KW - Female

KW - Law Enforcement

KW - Adult

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Substance-Related Disorders

KW - Illicit Drugs

KW - Drug and Narcotic Control/legislation & jurisprudence

U2 - 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104393

DO - 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104393

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38520960

AN - SCOPUS:85188649634

SN - 0955-3959

VL - 127

JO - International Journal of Drug Policy

JF - International Journal of Drug Policy

M1 - 104393

ER -