Work

Practitioner perspectives on dealing with victimhood and offending in UK ‘County Lines’ drug supply investigations

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This paper examines the investigative challenges associated with the ‘County Lines’ drug supply phenomenon from the perspective of police practitioners. Two areas are identified and explored: the presence and role of autonomy, coercion, and exploitation, and the legal and procedural issues. The police response appears confounded by non-specific legislation, unintended implications of the statutory defence, problems with the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), safeguarding deficiencies, incomplete statutory guardianship, and limited recognition of neurodevelopment and neurodivergence among those involved. The research is relevant to law and public policy and will be of interest to investigators and criminal justice system professionals.

Source: The Police Journal Theory Practice and Principles

DOI: 10.1177/0032258x241275858

Authors: David Lydon, Peter Emanuel

Institution: Canterbury Christ Church University

Language: English

Topic: Criminal Law and Policy

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,200