"Sunshine Project”: Fundamental Solution for Drug Rehabilitation and Innovation Measure for Social Governance

By Lai Hairong, deputy director of the Literature and information Department of the Compilation & Translation Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, executive director of China Center for Overseas Social and Philosophical Theories, researcher, and doctor

On the basis of case research on the three samples of Weng’an County, Qingzhen, and Nanming District, Guiyang, and relevant literature research, the author believes that the “Sunshine Project” for community-based drug rehabilitation and recovery prompted in Guizhou is a fundamental solution for drug rehabilitation and an important innovation measure for social governance, and is worth strong promotion in Guizhou and even nationwide.

"Sunshine Project” is a fundamental solution for drug rehabilitation, reflecting advanced governance concept.

After compulsory rehabilitation, how to consolidate rehabilitation results of drug addicts is always a global problem. Relevant data show that the relapse rate within 1 year after compulsory rehabilitation generally reaches about one third, and the relapse rate within 2 year after compulsory rehabilitation reaches as high as about two thirds. Such high relapse rates make the compulsory rehabilitation results, which consume enormous resources, have nothing left. For this reason, compulsory rehabilitation is only a temporary solution. Without a fundamental solution to contain relapse, the drug rehabilitation cause cannot win victory. So far however, the whole world has not found an effective fundamental solution, so it is very difficult to cure the persistent ailment of drugs in all parts of the world. The “Sunshine Project” for community-based drug rehabilitation and recovery promoted in Guizhou is just a fundamental solution for drug rehabilitation for China and even the world, and is of great significance.

The publication of On Crimes and Punishment written by Cesare Beccaria, founder of Italian criminal classical school, in 1764 marked that the progressive concept of humanitarianism had started to enter the field of lawbreaking and crime settlement. The core idea of this progressive concept is that lawbreakers and criminals are also people, and should receive basic humane treatment. Driven by this progressive concept, in late 18th century and early 19th century, criminal sociology emerged in Europe. The occurrence of this discipline made the society no longer view lawbreaking behaviors and crimes simply from the perspective of penalty, but conduct in-depth analysis on the physiological, psychological, and social factors leading people to embark on the road of lawbreaking behaviors and crimes, and seek the ways of containing lawbreaking behaviors and crimes in terms of psychology and society, producing many important theories and practical results.