From biographical disruption to reconstruction : intersectionality between, law, medicine and the self. The case of Drug Courts in Malta

Abstract

This research explores the lived experience of persons undergoing rehabilitation for hard drug dependence under Malta’s Drug Court through the Drug Offenders Rehabilitation Board (DORB). The research adopts an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach through intensive interviewing with drug dependents following the Drug Courts rehabilitation programme. Through such qualitative approach, the research investigates the trajectories of drug addicts during rehabilitation and highlights the transition from biographical disruptions to biographical reconstructions of the self. The findings point to the significance of the intersectionality of law, medicine and the self, arising from the DORB functions under the Drug Dependence (Treatment not Imprisonment) Act (Cap. 537). This Act primarily filled in the gap for this intersectional approach by providing a supervisory role for legal, medical and social services. The research provides recommendations for improved service provision by informing policymakers and practitioners on intersectional prevention and intervention, and the enhancement of the Drug Court system.