A Sociological approach to understanding drug crime in Ireland

The Economic boom from the beginning of this decade up until 2009 had many unforeseen consequences for Ireland. One of these was the alarming increase in the supply of, and demand for, recreational drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine. As a result, drug crime became the focus of political, media, and public concern. With little research invested in the topic of crime in Ireland and in particular drug crime, never has it been more crucial for sociologists to offer an in-depth understanding and explanation for this phenomenon. Using a sociological lens, this article attempts to offer an insight into drug crime in Ireland. First, by looking at the approach of theorists from within the Labelling Theory perspective such as Howard Becker, Symbolic Interactionists such as Erving Goffman and David Matza, and Sub-Cultural theorist Jock Young, the focus will be placed on micro-sociological studies of drug crimes to give a very thorough understanding of how the interpretations of both the drug dealers and the social audience impact on their behaviour. Second, the article will examine the work of macro-sociological theorists, such as Richard Quinney, Martin Spitzer, Ian Taylor, Paul Walton and Jock Young. These theorists from the new radical criminology perspective, ground their theories in Marxism. In examining both the advantages and disadvantages of both these perspectives, this article highlights the necessity to incorporate both micro and macro sociological approaches to enable a fully comprehensive understanding of drug crime in the Irish context.