Ted Gest
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195103434
- eISBN:
- 9780199833887
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195103432.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
The federal government asserted a role in fighting narcotics abuse since the early 20th century, but it was not until the Richard Nixon administration starting in 1969 that a federal “war on drugs” ...
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The federal government asserted a role in fighting narcotics abuse since the early 20th century, but it was not until the Richard Nixon administration starting in 1969 that a federal “war on drugs” became high profile. Nixon stressed drives against smuggling heroin from counties like Turkey and Mexico. His administration's efforts were marred by raids on erroneous locations by a new federal Office of Drug Law Enforcement. A successor agency called the ‘Drug Enforcement Administration’ jockeyed with the FBI for supremacy in the drug enforcement field. Drug treatment generally had lower priority when it came to funding. A scourge of “crack” cocaine spread in the mid‐1980s, causing Congress to increase penalties for drug abuse in such a way that black people who primarily used crack were punished much more severely than whites who tended to use cocaine's powder form. An effort to coordinate federal antidrug resources better resulted in the establishment of a White House director of drug control policy (“drug czar”) in 1989; the first to hold the position was former education secretary William Bennett. Drug abuse declined in the 1990s, but there was disagreement over the primary cause. Advocates credited a combination of more‐intense law enforcement, better treatment, and establishment of more than 500 “drug courts” that could ride herd on offenders. The numbers of drug abusers were creeping back up by 1999.Less
The federal government asserted a role in fighting narcotics abuse since the early 20th century, but it was not until the Richard Nixon administration starting in 1969 that a federal “war on drugs” became high profile. Nixon stressed drives against smuggling heroin from counties like Turkey and Mexico. His administration's efforts were marred by raids on erroneous locations by a new federal Office of Drug Law Enforcement. A successor agency called the ‘Drug Enforcement Administration’ jockeyed with the FBI for supremacy in the drug enforcement field. Drug treatment generally had lower priority when it came to funding. A scourge of “crack” cocaine spread in the mid‐1980s, causing Congress to increase penalties for drug abuse in such a way that black people who primarily used crack were punished much more severely than whites who tended to use cocaine's powder form. An effort to coordinate federal antidrug resources better resulted in the establishment of a White House director of drug control policy (“drug czar”) in 1989; the first to hold the position was former education secretary William Bennett. Drug abuse declined in the 1990s, but there was disagreement over the primary cause. Advocates credited a combination of more‐intense law enforcement, better treatment, and establishment of more than 500 “drug courts” that could ride herd on offenders. The numbers of drug abusers were creeping back up by 1999.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0002
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter considers the role of the police in drug control as background to the empirical study of the rationales, patterns and priorities of specialist detective units assigned to the task of ...
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This chapter considers the role of the police in drug control as background to the empirical study of the rationales, patterns and priorities of specialist detective units assigned to the task of investigating drug offences and gathering evidence to support the prosecution of the persons who perpetrate them. It aims to establish the parameters of policing in the drugs field and build a theoretical foundation for explaining the policing of drugs and new directions in drug control policy and practice. By critically analysing the construction of specific drug problems over time, it also uncovers the logic behind some of the most pertinent governmental responses and questions whether they serve the needs of society or the interests of powerful groups.Less
This chapter considers the role of the police in drug control as background to the empirical study of the rationales, patterns and priorities of specialist detective units assigned to the task of investigating drug offences and gathering evidence to support the prosecution of the persons who perpetrate them. It aims to establish the parameters of policing in the drugs field and build a theoretical foundation for explaining the policing of drugs and new directions in drug control policy and practice. By critically analysing the construction of specific drug problems over time, it also uncovers the logic behind some of the most pertinent governmental responses and questions whether they serve the needs of society or the interests of powerful groups.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0009
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter pulls together some key findings in order to consider the extent to which detective practices were affected by the formal structural context of policing and explain why some behaviours ...
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This chapter pulls together some key findings in order to consider the extent to which detective practices were affected by the formal structural context of policing and explain why some behaviours and aspects of their culture were susceptible to change whereas others proved resistant and enduring. The discussion then moves on to make some recommendations for potentially workable alternatives to traditional enforcement strategies that are designed to stimulate further research and reconfigure the evolution of the policing of drugs. By applying regulatory theory to drug detective work, it is argued that one way forward is for the police to use their powers to beneficially shape drug markets according to the standards and purposes of harm reduction.Less
This chapter pulls together some key findings in order to consider the extent to which detective practices were affected by the formal structural context of policing and explain why some behaviours and aspects of their culture were susceptible to change whereas others proved resistant and enduring. The discussion then moves on to make some recommendations for potentially workable alternatives to traditional enforcement strategies that are designed to stimulate further research and reconfigure the evolution of the policing of drugs. By applying regulatory theory to drug detective work, it is argued that one way forward is for the police to use their powers to beneficially shape drug markets according to the standards and purposes of harm reduction.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0005
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
Interrogating the official organizational position on the policing of drugs, this chapter delves into the police worldview with the aim of exploring and making sense of how officers perceived the ...
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Interrogating the official organizational position on the policing of drugs, this chapter delves into the police worldview with the aim of exploring and making sense of how officers perceived the drug world and their role in it, using some of the most pertinent concepts, themes, and theories from the police culture literature to help frame the analysis. Rather than presenting a monolithic view, care has been taken to reflect the diversity of opinions that were expressed by detectives and a range of other police officers so as to bring out any cultural variations arising from idiosyncrasies and the distinct experiences and expectations associated with rank, specialism, and the external policing environment. The data presented really highlights the importance of observations, informal conversations, and interviews as methods of gaining an insight into the complex and at times contradictory reality of police values and belief systems.Less
Interrogating the official organizational position on the policing of drugs, this chapter delves into the police worldview with the aim of exploring and making sense of how officers perceived the drug world and their role in it, using some of the most pertinent concepts, themes, and theories from the police culture literature to help frame the analysis. Rather than presenting a monolithic view, care has been taken to reflect the diversity of opinions that were expressed by detectives and a range of other police officers so as to bring out any cultural variations arising from idiosyncrasies and the distinct experiences and expectations associated with rank, specialism, and the external policing environment. The data presented really highlights the importance of observations, informal conversations, and interviews as methods of gaining an insight into the complex and at times contradictory reality of police values and belief systems.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0008
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter provides an account of the everyday realities of the war on drugs by examining the dynamics and dilemmas of how drug investigations are planned, authorized, and carried out after a case ...
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This chapter provides an account of the everyday realities of the war on drugs by examining the dynamics and dilemmas of how drug investigations are planned, authorized, and carried out after a case becomes operational. Attention is given to drug warrants, covert surveillance, and test purchase operations—the tactical resolutions that were used time and again for taking care of business. It focuses on the occupational perspective and practices of detectives, how they interpreted, made sense of, and manipulated the rules of the drug game, and the ways in which they used intelligence, gathered evidence, exercised power, and defined success.Less
This chapter provides an account of the everyday realities of the war on drugs by examining the dynamics and dilemmas of how drug investigations are planned, authorized, and carried out after a case becomes operational. Attention is given to drug warrants, covert surveillance, and test purchase operations—the tactical resolutions that were used time and again for taking care of business. It focuses on the occupational perspective and practices of detectives, how they interpreted, made sense of, and manipulated the rules of the drug game, and the ways in which they used intelligence, gathered evidence, exercised power, and defined success.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter reviews the police studies literature on detectives and criminal investigations in order to provide a platform on which to consider the ethnographic exploration of those specialist ...
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This chapter reviews the police studies literature on detectives and criminal investigations in order to provide a platform on which to consider the ethnographic exploration of those specialist detective units that focus their efforts on detecting and investigating drug offences and bringing the offenders to justice. It analyses the nature of detective work, from the origins of the police detective through to the current context of criminal investigation, attends to some of the key themes and concepts that underpin the subject matters under discussion, and begins to examine key issues associated with changing the ways in which investigations are conceived, conducted, and controlled. It also explains why police organizations set up specialist squads to deal with certain forms of criminality and pays particular attention to the special features of detective work in the field of drug control.Less
This chapter reviews the police studies literature on detectives and criminal investigations in order to provide a platform on which to consider the ethnographic exploration of those specialist detective units that focus their efforts on detecting and investigating drug offences and bringing the offenders to justice. It analyses the nature of detective work, from the origins of the police detective through to the current context of criminal investigation, attends to some of the key themes and concepts that underpin the subject matters under discussion, and begins to examine key issues associated with changing the ways in which investigations are conceived, conducted, and controlled. It also explains why police organizations set up specialist squads to deal with certain forms of criminality and pays particular attention to the special features of detective work in the field of drug control.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This chapter begins with a review of the academic literature in order to explore the police informer/handler relationship and attempts to reform the use and regulation of police informers. Particular ...
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This chapter begins with a review of the academic literature in order to explore the police informer/handler relationship and attempts to reform the use and regulation of police informers. Particular attention is paid to the moral dilemmas and practical problems of this covert policing strategy, as well as the changes introduced by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). These changes include the establishment of authorization procedures and dedicated source units. The chapter then presents and discusses empirical findings on the role of informants in drug investigations and examines how drug detectives perceived and operated within the regulatory constraints of the police informer system.Less
This chapter begins with a review of the academic literature in order to explore the police informer/handler relationship and attempts to reform the use and regulation of police informers. Particular attention is paid to the moral dilemmas and practical problems of this covert policing strategy, as well as the changes introduced by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). These changes include the establishment of authorization procedures and dedicated source units. The chapter then presents and discusses empirical findings on the role of informants in drug investigations and examines how drug detectives perceived and operated within the regulatory constraints of the police informer system.
Matthew Bacon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199687381
- eISBN:
- 9780191813375
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687381.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
Taking Care of Business offers a rich and insightful ethnography of specialist detective units assigned to the task of investigating drug offences and gathering evidence to support the prosecution of ...
More
Taking Care of Business offers a rich and insightful ethnography of specialist detective units assigned to the task of investigating drug offences and gathering evidence to support the prosecution of the persons who perpetrate them. Based on extensive fieldwork undertaken in two English police service areas, it provides an in-depth analysis of the everyday realities of the ‘war on drugs’ and the associated working rules, tacit understandings, and underlying assumptions that operate beneath the presentational canopy of police organizations. The analytical standpoint adopted places the occupational culture of the police at the centre of an understanding of police work and criminal justice processes. By interweaving the findings of observations, interviews, and documentary analyses, the author explores how police officers perceive the drug world and their role in it, translate policy from its written form into action, and utilize intelligence-led policing strategies to instigate covert operations and make cases. The book also critically examines the most pertinent legislative initiatives, organizational reforms, and shifts in thinking about the values, objectives, and norms of policing that have occurred over recent decades, which, between them, have contributed to some significant changes in the ways that detectives are trained and investigations are controlled and carried out. Theoretically and empirically informed, Taking Care of Business addresses contemporary police culture, detective work, and drug law enforcement. Its timely character also has relevance with respect to some highly salient issues in the current social, economic, and political climate regarding operational policing and drug control policy.Less
Taking Care of Business offers a rich and insightful ethnography of specialist detective units assigned to the task of investigating drug offences and gathering evidence to support the prosecution of the persons who perpetrate them. Based on extensive fieldwork undertaken in two English police service areas, it provides an in-depth analysis of the everyday realities of the ‘war on drugs’ and the associated working rules, tacit understandings, and underlying assumptions that operate beneath the presentational canopy of police organizations. The analytical standpoint adopted places the occupational culture of the police at the centre of an understanding of police work and criminal justice processes. By interweaving the findings of observations, interviews, and documentary analyses, the author explores how police officers perceive the drug world and their role in it, translate policy from its written form into action, and utilize intelligence-led policing strategies to instigate covert operations and make cases. The book also critically examines the most pertinent legislative initiatives, organizational reforms, and shifts in thinking about the values, objectives, and norms of policing that have occurred over recent decades, which, between them, have contributed to some significant changes in the ways that detectives are trained and investigations are controlled and carried out. Theoretically and empirically informed, Taking Care of Business addresses contemporary police culture, detective work, and drug law enforcement. Its timely character also has relevance with respect to some highly salient issues in the current social, economic, and political climate regarding operational policing and drug control policy.
