Tagged: Stan Cohen

Opinion

“Operation Ore”: "A huge miscarriage of justice"?

by paulabowles In 2001, the British police launched “Operation Ore”, hailed as a ground-breaking opportunity to catch individuals, who had paid for and accessed child pornography via the internet. With a possible 7,000 plus British suspects on the database, it is little wonder that the operation was perceived to have huge criminological and technological potential, not least in the fight against transnational pornography. However, over the last two years, criticisms have been raised, particularly in relation to the validity of...

Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

Anticipated Recommendation to Downgrade Ecstasy Raises Concerns

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is expected to propose the reclassification of Ecstasy (MDMA). At present, ecstasy is categorized as a Class A drug, alongside heroin and cocaine. The recommendation to downgrade the drug to Class B appears to be based on a principle of “relative harm.”   Such reclassification may be seen as both radical and constructive, enabling drug workers, as well as the wider criminal justice system to take more appropriate action. However, early indications...