ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG DEPENDENCE AND CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY: BETWEEN PUNISHMENT AND CARE

Abstract

This article aimed to reflect on the interfaces between criminal responsibility and mental health care for individuals who commit offenses related to the use of psychoactive substances, discussing the contributions of drug policy, harm reduction, and the Psychosocial Care Network. This is a theoretical reflection study developed through a narrative literature review, grounded in scientific publications, Brazilian legislation, and institutional documents published between 2010 and 2025. The analysis was organized into three thematic axes: the limitations of the punitive paradigm in addressing substance dependence; psychosocial care as an ethical and political alternative, grounded in Psychiatric Reform, harm reduction, and intersectoral collaboration between health and justice; and the reconstruction of criminal responsibility from a psychosocial care perspective, integrating care, autonomy, and the protection of rights. It is concluded that exclusively repressive responses are insufficient to address the complexity of this phenomenon, highlighting the need to consolidate integrated public policies that promote accountability, care, social inclusion, and the effective realization of human rights.