From streets to systems: examining the intersections of gangs, drugs, community, and policy

Through four distinct yet interrelated papers, this complete thematic panel presents a multidisciplinary exploration of crime and harm in a globalised world, focusing on the nuanced dynamics of gangs, drugs, and organised crime. The first paper examines how Chicago’s Latinx gang members use social media and introduces a “signaling timeline” framework for understanding how messages are transmitted and decoded between senders and receivers with implications for managing and preventing both harm online and community violence offline. The second paper addresses the critical issues of drug use and mental health within Scotland’s prison system. Centering voices from inside, it examines the policies and practices that contribute to or alleviate these challenges, emphasizing the need for comprehensive approaches that consider the well-being of incarcerated individuals. The third paper explores the consequences of gentrification on gang presence and activity in California. It scrutinizes how urban renewal and displacement impact community ties, gang structures, and crime, bringing to the fore the experiences of those living in rapidly changing neighborhoods. The final paper traces the evolution of drug-based organised crime in Glasgow, offering insights from ex-offenders into the global conditions and policy decisions that have fostered and facilitated drug harms and criminal enterprises over time. By highlighting the historical context, it provides a foundation for understanding current challenges and responses to organised crime. Together, these papers offer a comprehensive examination of crime and harm in global settings, advocating for informed, empathetic, and holistic approaches to criminology that prioritize the voices and needs of marginalized individuals and communities.