Alcohol, Drugs and Crime: Promoting Health and Preventing Consequences

Australia has famously been described as having a "wet culture" - one in which alcohol consumption, and its consequences, are woven into the social and recreational fabric of society, bringing with it serious personal and social harms. Illicit drug use is less widespread but no less consequential, and its relationship with crime is significant and contested. How we should respond to alcohol and other drugs remains a matter of considerable academic and policy debate - particularly for those responsible for promoting safety, both on the streets and in the home. This course examines the social, legal and political responses to alcohol and drug use in contemporary Australian society. Students will explore their own perceptions of the drug–crime relationship and test these against the theoretical frameworks that guide current policy and practice. The course pays particular attention to law enforcement and social policy responses to alcohol- and drug-related crime, examining approaches such as drug courts, treatment services, and early referral into treatment programs