Understanding Drugs, Alcohol and Crime

Bennett and Holloway's "Understanding Drugs, Alcohol, and Crime" is the best, most up-to-date and comprehensive examination for the United Kingdom of interactions among drugs, alcohol, and crime. The authors exhaustively and authoritatively survey current knowledge in the UK, and from many other countries, on drug and alcohol use as cause, and consequence, of crime, and the effects of law enforcement and treatment responses. Clearly written, unfailingly lucid, and admirably accurate, this book will be the indispensable work on British 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. Offering a detailed review of the research literature on the connections between drug use and crime, this book 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.