Drug rehabilitation : intersectionality between law, medicine and the self

Abstract

This research explores and analyses the lived experience of persons who are undergoing rehabilitation for hard drug dependence, mainly heroin and cocaine, under Malta’s Drug Court through the Drug Offenders Rehabilitation Board (DORB). By adopting an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), this qualitive research sought to investigate how drug addicts in rehabilitation relate and deal with their addiction during DORBs rehabilitation treatment and whether and how this impacts their identity as law, medicine and the self intersect. The findings, analyses and discussion revolve around the participants’ challenges arising from drug dependence and their trajectories in overcoming them through rehabilitation. A number of main findings led to the discussion about the transition from biographical disruption to biographical reconstruction, as well as the importance and significance of the intersectionality of law, medicine and the self through the Drug Dependence (Treatment not Imprisonment) Act (Cap. 537) which law stipulates DORBs functions. This Act primarily filled in the gap for this intersectional approach and provided a guidance and supervisory role for legal, medical and social services. Recommendations for service provision (including legal amendments) and for further research arising from this study, shall inform policymakers and practitioners on intersectional prevention and intervention, particularly on how to enhance the effectiveness of the Drug Court system.