Juvenile crimes and drugs: A review of structural and psychosocial determinants in the context of drug decriminalization

Drug-related juvenile crimes in refugee camps are a growing concern, shaped by structural vulnerabilities. This review synthesizes existing literature on drug-related juvenile crimes in refugee settings, focusing on how social disorganization, structural neglect, and psychosocial deprivation increase vulnerability among displaced children, and argues for a public health–oriented decriminalization approach to prevention and rehabilitation. Drawing upon international and regional studies published between 2017 and 2024, the paper highlights how poverty, forced migration, trauma, limited education, and exposure to drug trafficking networks contribute to youth delinquency in refugee camps. Using social disorganization, delinquent subculture, rational choice, and structural functionalism theories, the review identifies five key thematic drivers: economic marginalization, peer and gang influence, normalization of drug culture, lack of family supervision, and absence of rehabilitation services. In light of contemporary debates on drug decriminalization, the review argues that punitive approaches to drug-related juvenile offences often reinforce structural disadvantages, criminalize poverty, and hinder social reintegration. Instead, a public health-oriented decriminalization framework can mitigate these harms by shifting focus from punishment to rehabilitation, prevention, and community reintegration. The consequences of maintaining criminalization extend beyond individual harm, contributing to broader community insecurity, increased drug dependency, and undermined law and order. The paper concludes by recommending a multisectoral prevention and recovery framework that aligns with decriminalization principles, emphasizing community-based rehabilitation, psychosocial counseling, drug awareness education, and integrated child protection systems anchored in social work and public health models. Such an approach advances restorative justice and promotes long-term well-being for at-risk juveniles in fragile and displaced settings.