VOLKAN TOPALLI , RICHARD WRIGHT and ROBERT FORNANGO

Because of their illicit status, drug dealers robbed in the course of doing business cannot go to the police. Thus, the deterrent, compensatory and retributive benefits of formal justice are unavailable to them. Informal avenues of redress represent their only means of obtaining justice. This article, based on interviews with 20 recently robbed, active drug dealers in St Louis, Missouri, explores how such victims perceive and respond to the assault. Results indicate that direct retaliation is the preferred response because it serves three important aims: reputation maintenance, loss recovery and vengeance. When dealer/victims are unable or unwilling to retaliate they resort to less satisfactory alternatives such as robbery displacement and the resumption of selling. The implications of these findings for the spread of drug market violence are discussed.

BRIT. J. CRIMINOL.. (2002) 42, 337–351

By Haris Mohammad

This thesis examines the origins, activities, and societal impacts of Mexican drug cartels, while assessing the effectiveness of governmental and international responses to their development and influence. This thesis examines the evolution of the cartels, starting with their collaboration with traffickers in Colombia and concluding with their supremacy in the global drug trade. The investigation elucidates the social and
political factors that have facilitated their growth. These factors include pervasive corruption, economic
disparities, and inadequate governance, all of which have fostered an environment conducive to the emergence of cartels. This thesis examines the detrimental effects of cartel involvement on Mexican
communities. These impacts include pervasive violence, societal disintegration, public health challenges stemming from substance addiction, and economic exploitation. Furthermore, it critiques the limitations of military anti-narcotics approaches, emphasizing the unintended consequences of these measures, including heightened violence and the emergence of power vacuums within the system. The research elucidates
the recruitment methods, operational tactics, and the cartels' integration into Mexican society via the use of
sociological and criminological ideas. The thesis advocates for the implementation of a comprehensive plan to counteract cartel influence. This plan must include socioeconomic transformations, government transparency, and international collaboration. This thesis aims to enhance understanding of cartel dynamics to contribute to the global battle against organized crime and to provide sustainable solutions that foster stability and justice in Mexico.