Published
May 6, 2020Page count
330 pagesISBN
978-1529203080Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 6, 2020Page count
330 pagesISBN
978-1529203073Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 6, 2020Page count
330 pagesISBN
978-1529203110Imprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 6, 2020Page count
330 pagesISBN
978-1529203110Imprint
Bristol University Press
County Lines
In the media
'UK police fear explosion of violent crime as lockdown eases' in The Guardian
'County lines drug dealers trade customer data for up to £150,000 to grow empire' in The Times
'Drug dealers turn corporate by selling customer databases for more than $180,000' in MarketWatch
'Drug gangs doing lockdown business' in Professional Security Magazine
Described by the National Crime Agency as a ‘significant threat’, county lines involve gangs recruiting vulnerable youth to sell drugs in provincial areas. This phenomenon has impacted local drug markets, increasing criminal activity and violence.
Exploring how county lines evolve, Harding reveals extensive criminal exploitation and control in the daily ‘grind’ to sell drugs.
Drawing upon extensive interviews and case studies, this timely book gives voice to users and dealers, providing an in-depth analysis of techniques, relationships and ‘trapping’.
With county lines now a critical issue for policing and government, this is an invaluable contribution to literature on gangs, youth violence and drugs.
“Based on extensive fieldwork with young people involved in county lines and the professionals who are endeavouring to stop them…Simon Harding synthesises and contextualises…while adding an important new perspective...to [County Lines] literature.” Youth & Policy
"This book is a tour-de-force of county lines drug dealing and the exploitation that accompanies it." Deborah Jump, Manchester Metropolitan University
"Simon Harding’s gritty new book exposes the full complexity of the county lines phenomenon, taking us beyond the headlines directly into the lives of the offenders, victims, and professionals involved." James Densley, Metropolitan State University
"Harding’s expertly researched examination of county lines networks is important and timely. This is a first-rate book, a must-read for gang scholars but also for policing and government." Ross Deuchar, University of the West of Scotland
Simon Harding is Professor of Criminology at University of West London and Director of the National Centre for Gang Research. His career experience includes 30 years of researching and working on crime and community safety in policy, practice and academia.
Introduction
A Changed Landscape?
Emergence and Change
Getting Started: ‘Put Me On, Bruv’
Grinding
Controlling the Line: Exploitation and Sanctions
Cuckooing and Nuanced Dealing Relationships
Ripples, Reverberations and Responses
Conclusion
