This book examines the drug dealer in contemporary society from an interdisciplinary perspective and considers the increasingly blurred demarcation between illegitimate and legitimate drug markets. It explores the motives and drivers of those involved in drug supply and dispels common and stereotypical myths and misconceptions surrounding illegal drug markets and those who operate within them. The drug dealer has become one of our foremost contemporary ‘folk devils’. Those who trade in substances prohibited by law are the subject of array of inaccurate myths and urban legends. Criminology has tended either to shoehorn drug dealers into neat typologies or portray them as ‘victims’ of an uncaring, predatory post-modern society. In reality, we know relatively little about the complex and diverse world of drug markets and our concentration inevitably falls on low-end ‘retail’ dealers who operate in the most visible sectors of the illegal economy. Bringing together an international group of experts, this book considers perspectives from around the world, including UK, USA, South America, Spain, India and Australia. This book will be of interest to students and researchers across criminology, law, sociology, criminal justice and public health, and will be essential reading for those taking courses on drugs, drug markets and substance misuse.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online. The digital revolution has transformed the selling and buying of illicit substances, upending how the market is policed and regulated, as explored in this book.

Based on social research conducted in different countries in Europe, the U.S. and Australia, this anthology is the first to provide detailed insights into small-scale drug distribution. A main focus is the phenomenon of ‘social supply’, i.e. buying illicit drugs from friends, which covers a substantial part of the retail market. For cannabis users, cultivating their own plants is another important source. This volume deals with different social aspects of these non-profit-oriented forms of drug distribution, as well as profit-oriented small-scale dealing. While the illicit drug trade is commonly referred to as a world dominated by ruthless criminals, this book draws a different picture.

Organized crime, a hidden and pervasive threat, casts its dark shadow over societies globally, impacting countless lives through activities like human trafficking, illegal drug trade, and cybercrime. This intricate web of criminality leaves lasting scars on individuals, families, and entire communities, with its true cost remaining obscured. Amidst this dilemma, the question arises: how can the erosion of societal well-being be countered and a sense of security restored? Economic and Societal Impact of Organized Crime: Policy and Law Enforcement Interventions stands as a reservoir of knowledge offering profound insights into combatting organized criminal endeavors. Edited by renowned scholar Alicia Danielsson, an expert in Comparative and EU law, this interdisciplinary collection delves beneath the surface of organized crime. Drawing on contributions from diverse fields, the book unravels real-world stories, empirical evidence, and case studies, shedding light on the psychological, physical, and economic toll exacted by these activities. Moreover, it explores the wider societal consequences, including eroding trust in institutions and exacerbating inequality and poverty. This work serves as an intellectual haven for academics, providing a roadmap to comprehending and confronting this global threat. It navigates the intricate pathways of criminal networks, corrupt actors, and the responses of law enforcement and policymakers. By championing an evidence-based approach that prioritizes human well-being and community resilience, the book equips readers to grasp the intricacies of the challenge and contribute to a world where organized crime's grip is loosened, and the foundations of security and justice are reinforced.

Addressing drug use and abuse as a global phenomenon, this text draws on contemporary and international research findings to examine the causes of drug use in different countries and to explore different policy responses to its prevention and treatment. It is an invaluable resource for students, practitioners and anyone concerned with drug use.

Doping in Sport and Fitness argues that rigid differentiations between doping contexts are less clear than it might seem. Breaking down these boundaries allows for a more complete understanding of substance use patterns, behaviours, and policy responses related to sport, fitness, and society.

This timely book presents a carefully curated selection of essays to celebrate the career of Nigel South, Emeritus Professor at the Department of Sociology and Criminology of the University of Essex, and one of the leading figures in his field. Through his long career, still ongoing and flourishing, Nigel has contributed knowledge in many areas of criminological scholarship and challenged the confines of the discipline, opening up new directions for thinking and debate. In this volume, Nigel’s close colleagues and friends celebrate his exceptional career through essays that draw on, or have been inspired by, his earlier or most recent work. Spanning across the areas of policing, drugs, green, southern, and sensory criminology, these essays offer cutting-edge research and fresh conceptual insights honouring the work of an outstanding criminologist, colleague, friend, and human being. This volume will be of pivotal interest to students, scholars, and academics in the fields of sociology and criminology, as well as those with an interest in these areas more generally.

This book showcases recent advances in the theoretical and empirical understanding of the economic aspects of organised crime and illegal markets. It provides new insights into defining and quantifying the influence of organised crime by drawing on innovative approaches to studying criminal networks and organisations such as the Hells Angels. The book includes analysis of the structure of illegal drug markets from international leaders in the field. Finally the text includes empirical case studies of the diverse markets where organised crime is currently active including the illegal market for crystal methamphetamine in Australia, tiger products in China and the falcon and fur trades in Russia. This book was based on a special issue of Global Crime.

This handbook provides a comprehensive examination of the past and present roles of drugs in society with a focus on theory, research, policy, and practice. Includes 28 original chapters with multi-disciplinary and international perspectives by top social and behavioral scientists Reviews current knowledge in the field, including key research findings, theoretical developments, and methodological debates Identifies ongoing controversies in the field, emergent topics, and areas in need of further inquiry Discusses individual drugs as well as topics like physiological theories of drug use and abuse, public health implications of drugs, patterns of drugs and crime, international drug trade and trafficking, and designer drugs

Taking inspiration from the classic text by Raymond Williams, Keywords in Criminology reflects on the language used by criminologists and offers a one‐stop guide to core concepts in the discipline. Written for the budding Criminology student, it offers a specialized but plain dictionary for a specialized discipline. From Abolitionism to Xenophobia, the entries unveil the ambiguities and conflicting interpretations of the concepts discussed, and explore their historical context, their analytical use, adoption or critical rejection. The original formulation of each concept is examined along with the practices the concept has shaped, and the favourable and unfavourable outcomes it has generated. Keywords in Criminology is a handy and pithy companion for any Criminology student. It offers excellent supplementary reading for core courses on criminological, social and cultural theory.