Mendeley TY _ JOUR ID - 1403081248466 TI - Study of the Consequences of Drug Infiltration Entering into Prisons in Western Iran JO - Research of deviance and social problems JA - ES LA - fa SN - 3060-821X AU - احمدی فر رشید AU - hosseini adnan AD - دانشیار جامعه شناسی و عضو گروه آموزش علوم اجتماعی دانشگاه فرهنگیان تهران، ایران. AD - استادیا رروان شناسی دانشگاه فرهنگیان، تهران، ایران. Y1 - 2025 PY - 2025 VL - 13 IS - SP - 61 EP - 91 KW - Narcotics KW - Drug Infiltration into Prisons KW - Prisoners KW - Prisons in Western Iran. DO - N2 -

Study of the Consequences of Drug Infiltration

 Entering into Prisons in Western Iran

 

Rashid Ahmadifar*

Adnan Hosseini**


This study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate the consequences of the infiltration of prohibited items, particularly narcotics, into Iranian prisons and to propose strategies for controlling and reducing their transfer. Employing a mixed-method approach, the research focused on prisons in western Iran. Through convenience sampling, five provinces—Kurdistan, Ilam, Hamedan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan—were selected. A sample of 242 prisoners was chosen using stratified random sampling based on Cochran’s formula, proportional to the prisoner population reported by the Prison Organization. Data were collected via a researcher-designed questionnaire. Quantitative findings revealed that the entry, distribution, and use of prohibited items in the studied prisons are associated with extensive negative emotional consequences, including anxiety, stress, chronic fear, insecurity, sadness, depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and attempts, as well as offers to collaborate in smuggling, distributing, and consuming these items. Qualitative results identified key reasons for the infiltration of prohibited items, including organized criminal networks, weak regulations, profitability of drug smuggling, and inadequate control and inspection facilities. Proposed solutions were categorized into four groups: cultural factors (e.g., prisoner employment and recreation), control and monitoring policies, managerial factors, and legal and regulatory measures. The findings indicate that the presence of narcotics in prisons has profound negative impacts on both prison staff and inmates across various dimensions.

Keywords: Narcotics, Drug Infiltration into Prisons, Prisoners, Prisons in Western Iran.

 

Introduction
Drug addiction is a pervasive social phenomenon and recognized social reality (Giddens, 1976; Anderson, 2016). It remains one of the most pressing challenges facing societies today (Gharehchahi et al., 2023). Historical analyses of drug misuse demonstrate that consumption and abuse have coexisted for millennia (Bagheri et al., 2023). Conceptually, addiction is a severe, chronic, neurological, and complex disorder influenced by genetic, physiological, and social factors (Mirzaei Moghaddam et al., 2023). The confined environment and interpersonal dynamics within prisons may predispose inmates to drug use (Marsden et al., 2020; Nordek et al., 2022; Capasso et al., 2021). Consequently, addiction, particularly the reasons for and consequences of drug infiltration into prisons, constitutes a critical issue.

The Prison Organization’s regulations explicitly address the smuggling of prohibited items into prisons in Articles 30, 31, 88, and 163. Failure to implement robust preventive measures incurs significant costs for inmates, their families, and society at large. In such circumstances, prisons deviate from their intended rehabilitative function, potentially transforming into environments that perpetuate criminal behavior (Foucault, 2011). Without effective monitoring strategies, particularly regarding movement within prisons, the institution risks becoming a “school” for crime rather than a mechanism for reform (Sotoudeh, 2010). Conversely, prisons that successfully prevent drug infiltration create safer, more adaptive environments, mitigating associated harms (Kolind & Duke, 2016). Despite ongoing efforts, the situation in Iranian prisons remains suboptimal, with narcotics infiltrating in significant quantities and varieties, posing a persistent challenge.

This study seeks to address three research questions:

What are the primary types of narcotics and methods of their infiltration into prisons?

What are the consequences of drug infiltration into prisons?

What strategies can mitigate this issue?

 

Theoretical Framework

Drawing on social control theory, deviant behavior results from
weakened social controls (Tosli, cited in Habibi, 2018). This theory posits that individuals are naturally inclined toward deviance unless restrained by social bonds. Weak or broken ties to social institutions remove societal constraints, increasing the likelihood of law-breaking (Turner, 2006). The theory emphasizes the role of self-esteem and positive self-concept as deterrents to deviance, expecting individuals to be active, self-regulating, and responsible agents capable of controlling their behavior and emotions.

Additionally, deviance is considered a learned behavior. Sutherland’s differential association theory suggests that criminal behavior is acquired through interactions within intimate groups, such as peers or family, rather than inherited (Robertson, 2010). Akers extends this by arguing that deviance persists when perceived as rewarding, reinforcing further deviant acts (Habibi, 2018). Bandura’s social learning theory similarly posits that deviant behavior is learned through interactions, particularly in small groups, where individuals adopt definitions of legal norms as appropriate or inappropriate, leading to law-breaking when exposed to norms favoring deviance (Schultz, cited in Habibi, 2018).

 

Methodology
This study adopts a mixed-method approach with a convergent triangulation design, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data separately before integrating findings (Delavar & Kushki, 2013). Quantitative data were gathered using a researcher-designed questionnaire, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The study population comprised prisoners in western Iranian prisons, with five provinces (Kurdistan, Ilam, Hamedan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan) selected via convenience sampling. For the quantitative component, 242 prisoners (67 from Hamedan, 26 from Ilam, 48 from West Azerbaijan, 52 from Kermanshah, and 49 from Kurdistan) were selected using stratified random sampling based on Cochran’s formula, proportional to each province’s prisoner population.

 

Findings
The study revealed several key insights regarding methods of drug infiltration into prisons. First, swallowing remains the most prevalent method, despite being a well-known technique (RaeisiNejad, 2017; Kolind & Duke, 2016). This suggests that disrupting this method could significantly reduce drug infiltration, potentially due to inadequate advanced detection equipment or inconsistent enforcement by prison staff. Second, visitors play a significant role in smuggling drugs, particularly in Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan, indicating that some visits are orchestrated for smuggling purposes despite existing preventive measures (Asadifard & Hemmati, 2021). Third, both prisoners and prison staff identified inmates and visitors as primary actors in drug smuggling, with prisoners in most provinces (except Kurdistan) acknowledging their significant role. This consistency validates the data and highlights these groups as critical intervention points. However, some respondents suggested involvement of prison personnel, which, while not conclusive, warrants further investigation (Ghorbani et al., 2018).

Another finding concerns the inadequacy of penalties for drug smuggling within prisons. Both prisoners and staff noted that lenient or inconsistently enforced punishments fail to deter smuggling, as offenders anticipate leniency or loopholes (Hosseini, 2017). This underscores the need for stricter, consistently enforced regulations, updated penalties, and comprehensive training for staff and inmates to create a lawful and resolute prison environment.

 

Discussion and Conclusion

The infiltration of narcotics into prisons has far-reaching negative consequences, affecting inmates’ mental health, security, and rehabilitation prospects, while undermining the prison system’s purpose. Effective prevention requires multifaceted strategies, including enhanced detection technologies, stricter visitor screening, robust penalties, and cultural initiatives like prisoner engagement programs. By addressing these factors, prisons can better fulfill their rehabilitative mandate, reducing deviance and fostering safer environments.

 

References

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* Corresponding Author: Associate Professor, Department of Social Science Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

 rahmadrash76@yahoo.com

** Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

adnan@gmail.com

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