Abstract
The drug economy is a significant driver of social discord. The global drug issue remains severe in terms of both demand and supply. China is not exempt from this issue, despite the implementation of robust law enforcement measures and stringent penalties. Restrictive deterrence theory helps explain why criminal activities persist despite deterrence efforts. Offenders employ various strategies to avoid detection and harsh sanctions, which is particularly prevalent among drug offenders.The present study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the crime strategies employed by drug offenders in China, considering the evolving drug market and how these strategies impact risk perceptions and future offending. Furthermore, the study specifically focuses on the unique characteristics of female drug offenders, drawing on a sample of women involved in drug offenses in mainland China. By applying the lens of restrictive deterrence, the study seeks to explore the effectiveness and implications of crime strategies in drug-related crimes.
The current study sheds light on the prevailing patterns of drug-related crime in China, which include the emergence of loosely structured criminal organizations, small-packet drug trading and money-drug detachment, and the exploitation of vulnerable groups to exploit gaps in the judicial and administrative systems. Notably, the involvement of women in drug-related activities has been observed to contribute to these patterns. The findings of this study also reveal that crime strategies employed by drug offenders can be categorized into six subcategories guided by the framework of restrictive deterrence. Crime strategies commonly consider the time and location, the anomalies from stakeholders, and the security tools to enhance their safety against potential harm from their peers or the police side. A scale called the Restrictive Deterrence Utility Scale for Drug Offences (RDUS-D) has been developed to measure the effectiveness of these crime strategies in evading sanctions. Notably, the utility of crime strategies is crucial for drug offenders who intend to continue engaging in illegal activities, as it ensures the covert nature of their operations. The mechanism by which crime strategies facilitate future criminal behaviour involves reducing the perception of risk, particularly regarding the perceived severity and fear of sanction, rather than the perceived certainty of sanction. This mechanism exemplifies the channelling effect of restrictive deterrence.
Female drug offenders are often described as passive, vulnerable victims of drug crime. However, this study found that the perceived utility of crime strategy and the channelling effect mechanism observed in the female group could relate to their vulnerability, the strength and the independence trend in the drug market.
| Date of Award | 6 Aug 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Tit Wing LO (Supervisor), Ben Li (Supervisor), Hon Kwong Christopher CHENG (Co-supervisor) & Heng Choon Oliver CHAN (Co-supervisor) |