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Alcohol in Drug Facilitated Crime in French Surveys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

S. Djezzar ,
N. Richard ,
M. Marillier ,
M.A. Courné ,
M. Devaux ,
J.M. Gaulier ,
J.C. Alvarez ,
M.H. Ghysel  and
Addictovigilance Network and members of the Compagnie Nationale des Biologistes et Analystes Experts
S. Djezzar
Affiliation:
Centre of evaluation and information on pharmacodependence, GH Lariboisière-Fernand Widal, PARIS, France
N. Richard
Affiliation:
Division for Medicines used in Neurology Psychiatry Pain Rheumatology Pulmonology ENT and Ophtalmology plus Narcotics, National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé – ANSM)
M. Marillier
Affiliation:
Centre of evaluation and information on pharmacodependence, GH Lariboisière-Fernand Widal, PARIS, France
M.A. Courné
Affiliation:
Department of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé – ANSM), Saint-Denis, France
M. Devaux
Affiliation:
Toxicology Laboratory, ToxLab, Paris, France
J.M. Gaulier
Affiliation:
Unit of forensic toxicology, CHU Dupuytren, Limoges, France
J.C. Alvarez
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, CHU Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
M.H. Ghysel
Affiliation:
Department of forensic toxicology, Institut National de Police Scientifique, Paris, France

Abstract

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Drug-facilitated crime (DFC) is defined as the concealed or forced administration of psychoactive substances (PAS) to victim for criminal purposes (sexual assault, robbery…). In this situation, the victim is under influence of PAS consumed unwittingly while, in cases of chemical vulnerability, PAS (mainly alcohol) are voluntarily consumed by victims, putting them in a more vulnerable and therefore dangerous position.

Objectives

to remind about the harmful effects of voluntarily alcohol and other PAS intake in chemical vulnerability studies.

Method

we report the results of French surveys on DFC carried out between 2003 and 2013. Data were collected mainly from forensic toxicological laboratories and forensic emergency units.

Results

we analyzed 646 cases files for victims of DFC. Users of non therapeutic PAS were more predominant (448 / 69%) and younger (mean age 23.7 years) than users of all kinds of PAS (198 / 31%, mean age 25.7 years). As most victims were female (88%), sexual assault was the predominant offence in 88% of cases, followed by robbery (10%). Alcohol and cannabis intake were noted in respectively 93.5% and 33% of the first group and 70% and 27% of the second one. Victims presented anterograde amnesia (60%) and vigilance disorders (17%), effects usually sought by assailants.

Conclusion

victims are often surprised to find that alcohol consumption, with or without cannabis, can have forensic consequences with serious traumatic stress. According to our study, it is important to increase awareness among the general public and to make this problem known to professionals concerned by DFC.

Type
Article: 0212
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 30 , Issue S1: Abstracts of the 23rd European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2015 , pp. 1
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2015
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