This paper examines how heroin trafficking routes from Afghanistan into Europe have evolved following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. It explores the changing dynamics of the northern and southern trafficking routes, highlighting how...
In this second reading list, we continue exploring the growing evidence on the role and contribution of faith communities and faith-based organisations in addressing substance use and crime, with a particular focus on treatment engagement...
This systematic review examines the association between religiosity, spirituality, and cocaine use by analysing findings from 20 observational studies involving adults and adolescents. Most studies found that higher levels of religiosity...
This chapter reviews the evidence on the relationship between religion, crime, and the criminal justice system. It highlights a growing body of research showing a consistent inverse association between religiosity and criminal behaviour...
This study examines how gang membership is measured among young people using the Eurogang Network’s survey approach. Drawing on nationally representative data from England and Wales, the researchers used statistical analysis to identify...
This investigation considers the impact of Mexico’s War on Drugs since 2006 and the influence of widespread cartel networks on the youth population. As both victims and perpetrators of drug-related crime, the young individuals of Mexico are...
The recruitment of minors into serious and organised crime has increasingly become a tactic used by criminal networks to avoid detection, capture and prosecution. By using minors, the criminal networks increase the distance between the...
This report examines how and why young people are recruited into criminal drug networks across Europe. It highlights the range of factors that can increase vulnerability to recruitment, including social and economic disadvantage, peer...
This book chapter explores the role of faith-based interventions in preventing and reducing gang violence in Trinidad and Tobago. Drawing on the experiences of a criminologist and a religious leader, it argues that gang violence should be...
This study examines the relationship between religiosity and crime using data from the 2015 visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia. By analysing daily crime reports before, during, and after the visit, the researchers found a significant...
Why is the connection between law enforcement and prevention of problem behaviors such as substance use important? Perhaps it is Safety within our communities.
While law enforcement is responsible for enforcing laws and maintaining public...
The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) continues to monitor illicit drug production and precursor chemicals across Europe to improve understanding of how drug markets are evolving. Production within the European Union is primarily focused...
This paper explores how law enforcement can contribute to the prevention of substance use and other behavioural health risks beyond their traditional enforcement role. Using the United States as an example, it argues that police and other...
The UN Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs is a practical online resource coordinated by UNODC that brings together tools, guidance, and operational resources from across the UN system to support responses to the global synthetic drug problem...
UNODC has launched a new Security Document Examination module within the UN Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs, developed in collaboration with the UNODC Laboratory and Scientific Services. The module aims to help law enforcement, border control...
The European Commission has introduced new controls on nine high-risk chemical precursors used in illicit drug production under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/314. Most of these substances are linked to synthetic cathinones, while one is...
The 2026 National Drug Control Strategy outlines a comprehensive roadmap to reduce illicit drug use and protect communities across the United States. It prioritizes stopping the flow of drugs and precursor chemicals at all borders through...
The 2025 Global Organized Crime Index shows that overall crime levels in Europe remain stable, and the region continues to rank among the least affected globally. However, this stability hides a more complex reality, with criminal markets...
Scam centres are a fast-growing global organized crime threat, generating over $1 trillion in losses in 2024. They use technology and psychological manipulation to target victims worldwide, supported by global criminal...
