Consumo de drogas: a primazia da prevenção educativa como meio de combate ao uso e à dependência de drogas, à luz das práticas de transação penal para usuários de drogas no Juizado Cível e Criminal da Comarca de Porto Nacional -TO

Abstract

This study analyzes the application of pecuniary plea bargains to drug users at the Special Criminal Court (Juizado Especial Criminal) of the Porto Nacional district in Tocantins, Brazil, in light of current legislation and recent decisions by the Supreme Federal Court. Using an interdisciplinary approach and both qualitative and quantitative methods, 132 cases from 2019 to 2023 were examined, revealing the repeated use of legally unsupported proposals and their low preventive effectiveness. The findings show that such punitive measures disregard the socioeconomic profile of the defendants and fail to fulfill the educational purpose of Law No. 11,343/2006. The study proposes the adoption of restorative and educational measures—such as school-based programs and restorative justice circles—as more effective alternatives to address drug use from a human rights perspective.