This course emphasizes a sociological understanding of drug use and abuse and drug policy. In order to understand drug use and abuse it is necessary to understand the chemical properties of the substances at issue, the attributes of the people who use and abuse drugs and the norms and characteristics of the society in which the substance use occurs. There will be an examination of the nature and scope of the relationship between drugs (including alcohol) and crime and violence, and the effect of drug legislation on the criminal justice system. We will examine literature on the drugs-crime relationship and explore various approaches to collecting data on drug use and abuse in society.
Semester Offered
Summer