Violence is widely associated with illegal drug markets, and is one of the features that can differentiate illegal capitalism from legitimate business. This book explores the perceived causes and functions of violence in an illegal drug market in Dublin City, Ireland. Understanding why violence occurs amongst participants in illegal drug markets is an ongoing part of the criminological endeavour. Scholars debate the various business and personal factors that contribute towards violent perpetration. Complex aspects of participants’ lives, such as addictive disorders, socioeconomic status, and socialisation, add further complexity. This book examines violence in an illegal drug market from the perspectives of those who had participated in it, that is, formerly addicted people as well as former profit-oriented drug dealers. The text is the result of the first ethnographic study of an illegal drug market in Dublin. This book will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as scholars interested in the criminology and psychology of violence. More specifically, the book will be relevant to those interested in the areas of illegal drug markets, gang studies, the intersection of drugs and crime, and desistance from crime.
Comprehensive overview of the Irish criminal justice system, its current problems and its vision for the future. Collection of essays by major office-holders, experienced practitioners, leading academics, legal scholars, sociologists, psychologists, philosophers and educationalists.
For two decades Dublin working class communities, in the face of official neglect, fought to overcome an epidemic of heroin abuse that engulfed them. Led, variously, by the Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD) and the Coalition of Communities Against Drugs (COCAD) organisations, the campaign captured headlines as a result of the policy of directly confronting drug pushers. At the same time pressure was continually applied to the government and statutory agencies for concerted action to address the drug crisis. While successful in mobilising communities and impacting on the heroin problem the campaign was marked by continuous conflict with the authorities and dogged by criticisms of vigilantism and of being a front for the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Pushers Out, which fully addresses these charges, is a detailed account of the development of the heroin problem in Dublin and the response of the affected communities. It is the engrossing story of the anti-drugs movement as seen through the eyes of one of its most prominent campaigners. The well written memoir provides, for the first time, the inside story of a campaign described as 'undoubtedly one of the most significant social movements to emerge from Dublin's working class communities.'
This book is a major contribution to the debate on the nature of the relationship between drugs and crime, and provides an authoritative and much-needed overview of the range of issues associated with drugs-related crime.
This book offers an accessible and comprehensive introduction to criminology in Ireland. Logically structured and clearly written, this book explores theory and empirical research through real-life examples from an Irish context. Engaging and challenging, this book encourages critical thinking about, and understanding of, crime and crime control in Ireland, North and South. The book covers the canon of criminological theory, from classical and psychological approaches right through to the contemporary. It offers an overview of the Irish criminal justice system, including the police, prisons and alternatives to punishment. It covers key criminological themes such as victims and victimology, gender, the drug trade and its regulation, terrorism and political violence, and desistance and the life course. Key features include: Critical assessment of key criminological theories, which are later woven into discussions of key thematic areas Case studies of historical and contemporary Irish events, including the Magdalene Laundries, gangland feuds and the decriminalisation of drugs Extensive reading lists of key academic texts and relevant Irish literature, movies, music and art This book is the only comprehensive criminology textbook specifically designed for the Irish undergraduate curriculum. It is essential reading for all criminology students in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and will also be of interest to postgraduates and academics looking for an overview of Irish Criminology.
Toxicological Aspects of Drug-Facilitated Crimes provides readers with an overview of the field of DFC: its history, toxicological effects, analysis, interpretation of results, the roles that age, gender and race may play, and clinical presentations of these drugs. The most commonly used drugs in DFC are addressed (alcohol, cannabis, MDMA, and cocaine), as well as an emerging range of pharmaceuticals (benzodiazepines, hypnotics, sedatives, neuroleptics, histamine H1-antagonists, or anesthetics), which are becoming more widely used, but are more difficult to detect. Edited by a world-renowned expert in the field of Forensic and Analytical Toxicology, Pascal Kintz, this book investigates toxicants of emerging concern and brings together a number of experts in the field to address the most recent discoveries on DFC toxicology. - Brings together the latest research on the toxicological analysis of drug-facilitated crimes (DFC), with real-life case studies - Provides up-to-date analytical techniques for determining toxicity levels in blood, urine, and hair - Covers all types of toxicants involved in DFC, including alcohol, cannabis, MDMA, and a wide variety of pharmaceuticals
′This is a great resource that reflects the huge expertise of the authors. It will be welcomed by students, researchers and indeed anyone wanting critical but comprehensive coverage of key issues and trends concerning drugs and society - locally and globally, historically and today.′ - Nigel South, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex ′Provides informative, balanced and contextualized insights into the relationships between people and drugs. Whatever your background and however knowledgeable you feel you are about contemporary drug issues, I guarantee that you will learn something unexpected and new from this valuable text.′ - Joanne Neale, Professor of Public Health, Oxford Brookes University Why do people take drugs? How do we understand moral panics? What is the relationship between drugs and violence? How do people′s social positions influence their involvement in drug use? Insightful and illuminating, this book discusses drugs in social contexts. The authors bring together their different theoretical and practical backgrounds, offering a comprehensive and interdisciplinary introduction that opens up a wide scientific understanding moving beyond cultural myths and presuppositions. This is an invaluable reference source for students on criminology, sociology and social sciences programmes, as well as drug service practitioners such as drug workers, social workers and specialist nurses.
"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.
