War on Drugs: shutting down drug dens and homes
Lawyer Michelle Bruijn researches the pros and cons of closing premises due to drugs nuisance. Her research reveals that civilians have less success in a legal appeal against this decision if it concerns hard drugs, and that home owners have more success than the owners of coffee shops.
How can the government counteract drugs nuisance? The criminal law route is long and complicated, but administrative law offers a quick alternative. In the Netherlands, a mayor can immediately close a home or shop if hard or soft drugs are being sold there or if marijuana is being grown. In practice this means that the mayor physically closes the premises in question: the doors and windows are hammered shut. Such closures can have far-reaching consequences, however. For example, shops and businesses are forced to close (temporarily) and residents are confronted with the (temporary) loss of their home. Lawyer Michelle Bruijn researches the pros and cons of this tactic in the War on Drugs. She performed a statistical analysis of legal decisions after an appeal was submitted. Her research reveals that civilians have less success if it concerns hard drugs, and that home owners have more success than the owners of coffee shops. Finally, she compared the Dutch approach to the American approach.
More information
University of Groningen videos
The weekly online video magazine Unifocus highlights topics related to the University of Groningen in the fields of research and society, student life, teaching, policy and internationalization.
You can find more videos in our video portal.
| Last modified: | 28 September 2021 1.26 p.m. |
More news
-
01 February 2023
'Nederland is toe aan een nieuw stelsel van inkomensbescherming'
Uit onderzoek, verricht door onderzoekers van de Faculteit Rechtsgeleerdheid en gefinancierd door Instituut GAK, volgt dat de universele benadering, berustend op gelijkwaardige bescherming op toereikend niveau voor alle leden van de samenleving,...
-
15 December 2022
Groningen contributes to major research initiative into energy-efficient information technology
The Dutch science funding agency NWO recently awarded a large research project into new concepts for energy-efficient information technology of no less than ten million euros
-
05 December 2022
Frans J. Sijtsma new Director Agricola School
On the recommendation of the Board of the University of Groningen, Dr Frans J. Sijtsma has been appointed as academic director of the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development with effect from 1 February 2023. This concerns a 0.5 FTE...