Drug-Related Offenses: An Analysis of High Criminal Court Decisions in Bilecik (1961-1972)

Abstract

This study examines drug-related offenses and judicial practices reflected in the records of the Bilecik High Criminal Court between 1961 and 1972. The research is based on 25 cases identified in court records from this period. The selected timeframe covers the years between the political transformation following the 27 May 1960 military coup and the process shaped by the 12 March 1971 memorandum. However, some decision records could not be accessed; therefore, the analysis relies on available archival materials. Given that the study is based on 25 cases from a single city, a micro-historical approach has been adopted, and the findings are interpreted within the local context of Bilecik rather than as representative of Türkiye as a whole. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used. Case numbers, types of offenses, defendant characteristics, and sentencing patterns are analyzed through frequency and percentage distributions, while the reasoning in court decisions is examined through content analysis. The findings show that judicial practices varied according to the nature of the offense, and case-specific circumstances. Sentence reductions were frequently applied, and acquittals were granted in certain cases. The study contributes to understanding judicial practices related to drug offenses during the period examined through a local court case from Bilecik.