Illicit Drugs by Illicit drugs and their use are now, more than ever, a dominant concern of politicians, policy makers and the general public. Often, our understandings of the 'drug problem' tend to be uni-dimensional and based around particular areas of risk: drug related crime, dependency and ill-health. This book moves beyond this single issue approach and locates illicit drug use in its wider context, with chapters on: the history of illicit drug use measuring the 'problem' legal and medical responses to illicit drug use the illicit drugs market drugs, crime and trends in drug policy. Drawing information from wide-ranging sources, Adrian Barton illuminates the complex nature and broad impact illicit drug use carries in its wake and provides an overview of the contemporary state of the drug 'scene'. This book will be essential reading for students and researchers working in the area of drugs and society.
Understanding Drugs, Alcohol and Crime by "Bennett and Holloway's Understanding Drugs, Alcohol, and Crime isthe best, most up-to-date and comprehensive examination for theUnited Kingdom of interactions among drugs, alcohol, and crime. Theauthors exhaustively and authoritatively survey current knowledge inthe UK, and from many other countries, on drug and alcohol use ascause, and consequence, of crime, and the effects of law enforcementand treatment responses. Clearly written, unfailingly lucid, andadmirably accurate, this book will be the indispensable work onBritish drug policy for many years to come." Professor Michael Tonry, University of Minnesota Law School, USA "What makes this book particularly interesting is the refreshingly non judgmental presentation which conveys the essence of very important issues in contemporary society. Therefore, this is an ideal text not only for students but also for policy makers, drugs and alcohol counsellors, treatment agencies and everyone interested in doing research on drugs, alcohol and crime." Nicoletta Policek, University of Abertay, Dundee "The publication is not only an excellent summary of the existing research in Great Britain, and to a lesser extent from other jurisdictions, it is a foundation for future research by evoking , and at times provoking, questions and offering a variety of possible responses." Hirsch Greenberg, University of Regina What is the connection between drugs, alcohol and crime? What works in reducing drugs and alcohol-related crime? The book provides a succinct overview of current theory and research on the links between drugs, alcohol use and crime. It discusses the legal and social context of drug and alcohol use and identifies current levels of consumption. Focusing on the UK context, it also takes into account international research where appropriate. Detailed review of the research literature on the connections between drug use and crime Examines the current government anti-drugs policy and assesses the effectiveness of programmes that have been used to reduce drug and alcohol-related crime. The book concludes that future government drugs policy should pay particular attention to the lessons learned from research on the connection between drug and alcohol use and crime. Ideal for criminology, criminal justice, social policy and social work students, this book will also be a useful source of information for policy makers, the police, probation workers, social workers, drugs and alcohol counsellors, treatment agencies, sentencers, voluntary agencies, Drug Action Teams, and others with an interest in research on drugs and crime.
Chilling Out by "Erudite and wide-ranging, perceptive and provocative, lively and up-to-date - Shane Blackman has produced a book with something to offer to just about anyone interested in drugs in contemporary society. Blackman uncovers hidden histories, points out the contradictions running through media, popular culture and official policy and highlights the challenges facing us. Chilling Out is a book that will be a boon to students and a valuable resource for both teachers and researchers."Nigel South, Professor, Department of Sociology and Research Professor, Department of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex. How are drug war politics, drug prevention, popular culture and drug consumption interconnected? What are the major contradictions, assumptions and silences within the moral arguments of drug policy makers? What are the implications for the viability of drugs policy? This book critically examines the assumptions underlying drug prohibition and explores the contradictions of drug prevention policies. For the first time in this field, it combines a wide-ranging exploration of the global political and historical context with a detailed focus on youth culture, on the basis that young people are the primary target of drug prevention policies. Chilling Out provides a critical map of drugs, bringing together work on drugs as a source of political state repression and regulation of morality through medical discourse, work on drugs as cultural commodities in film, popular music, advertising and tourism, work on 'drug normalisation', subcultural deviance and the politics of drug education. This clear and enlightening text for sociology, health and media and cultural studies courses argues for an holistic and a critical understanding of drugs in society, which can be the basis for a more coherent approach to drug control. Practitioners and policy makers will find it a thought-provoking and informative source.
Drugs: policy and politics by Drugs: Policy and Politics is an accessible introduction to the links between drugs and social policy. Assessing current and recent policies and political responses, it considers the ways in which drugs policy is formulated and implemented in the UK and Europe. The book examines the dynamic context of drug policy through discussions of broader policy fields such as health and the criminal justice system. The contributors offer evidence-based insights into the social complexities of both drug use and drug users, as they examine those specific groups who are associated with particular patterns of drug use. Drug issues are linked with aspects of gender, race and social exclusion, all of which have a resonance in the current discourses of policy making. Drugs: Policy and Politics provides an important set of tools with which to rethink the diversity of drug use and drug users. It is important reading for social policy students and researchers, as well as trainee social workers, probation officers, police and prison officers.
Drugs Without the Hot Air by The science of what drugs are and how they work lets us quantify and compare the harms caused by different drugs. With this information we can radically transform drugs law, and hugely reduce crime and all the other social, economic and health harms currently caused by drugs. The book is written in plain English. It is intended for people who take drugs, and those dealing with the harms drugs cause: parents, teachers, doctors, politicians, social workers and law enforcement agencies. - It explains what drugs are, how they work, and how people become addicted. - How harmful are alcohol and tobacco compared to illegal drugs? - Does the 'War on Drugs' cause more harm than good? How does it affect legitimate scientific research into potentially valuable therapies? - What should you tell your children about drugs, and at what age? 
Drugs in Britain by Drawing on well-respected authors in the field, this textbook is at the cutting edge of current debates about illicit drug use. Comprehensive and straightforward, it examines the major theoretical questions, themes and policy debates. Contains study exercises to highlight important points to students.
Drugs, Crime and Public Health by Drugs, Crime and Public Health provides an accessible but critical discussion of recent policy on illicit drugs. Using a comparative approach - centred on the UK, but with insights and complementary data gathered from the USA and other countries - it discusses theoretical perspectives and provides new empirical evidence which challenges prevalent ways of thinking about illicit drugs. It argues that problematic drug use can only be understood in the social context in which it takes place, a context which it shares with other problems of crime and public health. The book demonstrates the social and spatial overlap of these problems, examining the focus of contemporary drug policy on crime reduction. This focus, Alex Stevens contends, has made it less, rather than more, likely that long-term solutions will be produced for drugs, crime and health inequalities. And he concludes, through examining competing visions for the future of drug policy, with an argument for social solutions to these social problems.
Illegal Leisure Revisited by This book updates the progress into adulthood of the cohort of fourteen-year-olds who were recruited and tracked until they were eighteen years old. Illegal Leisure (1998) described their adolescent journeys and lifestyles, focusing on their early regular drinking and extensive 'recreational' drug use. This new edition revisits these original chapters, providing commentaries around them to discuss current implications of the original publication, plus documenting and discussing the group at twenty-two and twenty-seven years of age. Illegal Leisure Revisitedpositions the journeys of these twenty-somethings against the ever-changing backdrop of a consumption-oriented leisure society, the rapid expansion of the British night-time economy and the place of substance use in contemporary social worlds. It presents to the reader the ways in which these young people have moved into the world of work, long-term relationships and parenthood, and the resulting changes in the function and frequency of their drinking and drug-use patterns. Amid dire public health warnings about their favourite intoxicants, and with the growing criminalisation of a widening array of recreational drugs, the book revisits these young people as they continue as archetypal citizens in a risk society. The book is ideal reading for researchers and undergraduate students from a variety of fields, such as developmental and social psychology, sociology, criminology, cultural and health studies. Professionals working in criminal justice, health promotion, drugs education, harm reduction and treatment will also find this book an invaluable resource. ong-term relationships and parenthood, and the resulting changes in the function and frequency of their drinking and drug-use patterns. Amid dire public health warnings about their favourite intoxicants, and with the growing criminalisation of a widening array of recreational drugs, the book revisits these young people as they continue as archetypal citizens in a risk society. The book is ideal reading for researchers and undergraduate students from a variety of fields, such as developmental and social psychology, sociology, criminology, cultural and health studies. Professionals working in criminal justice, health promotion, drugs education, harm reduction and treatment will also find this book an invaluable resource. 
Drugs and Crime by A high proportion of crimes committed in Britain are drugs-related, with many offenders having a documented history of drug use. However, the direct link between drugs and crime is often less clear than is supposed and this text attempts to achieve a better understanding of these and surrounding issues that have been marred by misunderstanding and a lack of consensus amongst experts. This text offers a major contribution to existing debates and provides an authoritative and much-needed overview of the range of issues associated with drugs-related crime. Coverage includes: a discussion on theoretical approaches to drugs and crime, an overview of the legal position on drugs and drug offenders, a critique of the aims and nature of treatment, an examination of trafficking and laundering, an analysis of the policing of drugs markets, a discussion about the legalisation debates. This new edition has been fully updated to include the latest data and recent developments in policy and particular attention is paid to changes in sentencing and treatment, as well as changes to practice in trafficking. An expanded chapter on women, drugs and crime now offers further coverage of drug-taking and prostitution. This is the only book in Britain which centres on the links between drugs and crime, and deals with the policy implications of that link. It is a comprehensive account of the various aspects of Government policy concerning drugs, and should be particularly useful to academics and students interested in or studying this aspect of criminology.
Drugs and Crime by Why are we so concerned about drugs and crime? Is the relationship between drug-taking and criminal behaviour as straightforward as it is sometimes made to appear? What should be done about the problem? This thought-provoking book argues that much current thinking about drugs and crime is simplistic and misguided, because it fails to take into account the complex social and psychological contexts that underpin the relationship between drug or alcohol problems and crime. In clear and accessible language, it reviews existing explanations of the links between drugs and crime, and assesses the practical approaches currently being taken to tackle the problems involved. Key topics covered include: * The kinds of substance uses society finds acceptable and normal, and the reasons for these categorisations * What causes offending, drug use and drug problems across the life course * Regulating the illicit drugs industry * Addressing poverty and social exclusion, which are key drivers of drugs and crime. Drugs and crime are of concern to us all. This textbook will be of great value to advanced undergraduate and graduate students across the social sciences and in health and social care, including those studying criminology, psychology, medical sociology, social policy, social work or criminal justice. It will also be of interest to academics, practitioners and policy makers in these fields.
Responding to Drug Misuse by Responding to Drug Misuse provides a unique insight into the current shape of the drugs treatment system in England. Reporting findings from research linked to the government's ten year drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain, the book places these in the context of policy, practice, and service development. It goes on to discuss the implications of these findings for the government's new strategy Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities. Throughout the book contributors reflect on current debates on drug strategies and social policy and consider the relevance of the findings for policy and practice. Topics discussed include: recent trends in drug policy and how these link to crime responses of dedicated drug treatment services service users' perceptions and suggestions for improvement the impact of drug misuse on children, families and communities. This timely addition to the literature on drug misuse will be essential for substance use practitioners, including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses. It will also supply helpful guidance for health and social care commissioners and policy providers.
Controversies in Drugs Policy and Practice by The rapid deepening of the global drug problem has spurred increasingly heated debate over the best solutions. For example, should drug use be an issue for healthcare services or a matter of criminal justice? Is universal abstinence both unrealistic and undesirable? Does drug legalization offer a viable answer? This book provides a lively and thought-provoking account of some of the most pressing issues for policy makers and practitioners in the debate about drugs. Designed as a platform for further discussion, it presents the full spectrum of perspectives on chronic and contemporary challenges to drug policy and explores the reality for drug users, dealers, suppliers and producers. Drawing on an international evidence base, the author considers: ? Drug enforcement measures: do they work and are they always ethical? ? Addiction treatment: its purpose, cost and limitations; ? Drug research: the strength of its impact on policy and practice; ? Possible solutions: from classic criminalization to radical harm reduction. Both engaging and timely, Controversies in Drugs Policy and Practice is an essential read for all social science students taking modules related to drug use, addiction and treatment. It also makes illuminating reading for academics and practitioners working within the field.
Evidence Versus Politics by The initial enthusiasm for the evidence-based policy agenda has recently been replaced with increasing scepticism. Critics point out that 'policy-based evidence' characterises the relationship more accurately. Analysing the role and nature of evidence in the context of UK drug policy and drawing on a range of theories of the policy process and research utilisation, this book pursues an alternative route for conceptualising the evidence and policy connection, which moves beyond zero-sum statements of evidence-based policy and policy-based evidence. It will be essential reading for students and researchers in public policy and criminology.
Outsiders by One of the most groundbreaking sociology texts of the mid-20th century, Howard S. Becker's Outsiders is a thorough exploration of social deviance and how it can be addressed in an understanding and helpful manner. A compulsively readable and thoroughly researched exploration of social deviance and the application of what is known as "labeling theory" to the studies of deviance. With particular research into drug culture, Outsiders analyzes unconventional individuals and their place in normal society.
Drug Users in Society by This book provides a candid insight into the lives of individuals who are addicted to heroin and other opiates. The processes of obtaining and using drugs are explored within the wider context of personal biographies and daily routines. Key issues considered include childhood experiences, crime and violence, housing situations, family relationships, prison life, health matters and drug treatments. Drug users' statements are related to policy, service provision, previous research, and theoretical debates in the hope that this might increase understanding and improve future responses to drug problems.
Drug Affliction : What You Need to Know by This is a book that is essential reading for anyone who needs
Illegal Leisure by Illegal Leisure offers a unique insight into the role drug use now plays in British youth culture. The authors present the results of a five year longitudinal study into young people and drug taking. They argue that drugs are no longer used as a form of rebellious behaviour, but have been subsumed into wider, acceptable leisure activities. The new generation of drug user can no longer be seen as mad or bad or from subcultural worlds - they are ordinary and everywhere. Illustrated throughout with interview material, Illegal Leisure shows how drug consumption has become normalised, and provides a well-informed analysis of the current debate.This page provides information specific to your module.
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