First Published in 1995. This book is concerned with the topical and important subject of drug use, within the equally topical and important context of the changes occurring within European societies. The chapters in this book chart and discuss the growth of drug use in Europe (particularly use of heroin and more recently cocaine) and relate such changes to socio-cultural and political shifts.

First Published in 1995. This book is concerned with the topical and important subject of drug use, within the equally topical and important context of the changes occurring within European societies. The chapters in this book chart and discuss the growth of drug use in Europe (particularly use of heroin and more recently cocaine) and relate such changes to socio-cultural and political shifts.

This collection, from a range of leading international scholars, looks at penal practice in a variety of different European countries. Noting particularities as well as similarities, such as the overuse of imprisonment and the use of harsher sanctions against the poor, this book questions how we justify and deliver punishment in Europe.

In Corruption and Organised Crime in Europe, Gounev and Ruggiero present a discussion of the relation between organized criminals and corruption in the EU’s 27 Member States. The book draws on research and scholarly work the editors carried out, respectively, within the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) in Bulgaria, and within academic institutions, as well as on behalf of the European Commission and the United Nations. Combining empirical data and theoretical debates, the book focuses on three main areas of the relationship between corruption and organised crime: public bodies, the private sector and criminal markets. It presents the findings of a recent research project carried out by the CSD on behalf of the European Commission, providing an analysis of the specific national contexts in which corruption and organized crime thrive. The essays also address institutional responses and policies, focusing particularly on how EU Member States attempt to sever the links between the official economy, the political sphere and organized crime. The second part of the book presents case studies, written by some of the foremost international experts on the subject matter, analysing corrupt exchange and criminal organisations, concentrating on specific European countries – Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Russia, Spain and the UK. As the first comprehensive study of corruption and organised crime in the countries of the European Union, the book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of criminology, sociology, law and international politics, as well policy makers and law-enforcement agencies.

Since the first edition of Social Europe was published in 1992 profound social changes have occurred throughout Europe as a result of conflicting pressures on the one hand to become more integrated and on the other to protect national interests and identity. This second edition of Social Europe has been fully revised to provide a comprehensive and focused account of basic social issues and structures which provide the context for these changes. Each chapter covers a key topic such as education, crime, gender, health and religion and provides valuable comparisons between the key nation states of Western Europe.

This volume represents the first attempt to systematically compare organised crime concepts, as well as historical and contemporary patterns and control policies in thirteen European countries. These include seven ‘old’ EU Member States, two ‘new’ members, a candidate country, and three non-EU countries. Based on a standardised research protocol, thirty-three experts from different legal and social disciplines provide insight through detailed country reports. On this basis, the editors compare organised crime patterns and policies in Europe and assess EU initiatives against organised crime.