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5. Players, positioning and keeping orderThe structure of the social field; Reconstruction of social order; Using social skill to maintain social order; New players, new rules and side bets; 6. Playing the game: generating and keeping your chips; Playing 'the game'; Getting started in the game: earning respect; Establishing a reputation as a 'playa'; 7. Staying in the game -- and playing to win; Maintaining your street capital: 'being tested'; Transitioning from the expressive to the instrumental repertoire; Business take-overs; Playing to win: maximising street capital through reputation.

Gang violence is on the increase in certain neighbourhoods. There is an urgent need for a fresh perspective that offers insight into gang structure, organisation and offending behaviour to explain this increase. Using the findings from an extensive ethnographic study of local residents, professionals and gang members in south London, and drawing on his vast experience and knowledge of the field, Simon Harding proposes a unique theoretical perspective on survival in violent street gangs. He applies Bourdieu's principles of social field analysis and habitus to gangs, establishing them as a social arena of competition where actors struggle for distinction and survival, striving to become 'players in the game' in the 'casino of life'. Success is determined by accruing and retaining playing chips – street capital. Harding's dramatic and compelling insights depict gang life as one of constant flux, where players jostle for position, reputation, status and distinction. This perspective offers new evidence to the field that will help academics, students, practitioners and policy makers to understand the dynamics of gang behaviour and the associated risks of violence and offending. Simon Harding is currently a senior lecturer in criminology at Middlesex University, UK. He draws on 25 years of experience in research, public policy and project delivery as a crime reduction and community safety practitioner

The first book in the UK or US to set on record the recent cultural phenomenon of the use of certain dog breeds - both legal and illegal - to 'convey status' upon their owners.

In London, the localised riots which occurred post-Tottenham all had their genesis in the violent street gang. This increasingly visible and evolving presence in the excluded neighbourhoods of the capital operates its own forms of social control and authority in its own social field – a form of street government. The riots provided an opportunity for the sudden temporal expansion of this social field as gangs acted as the crucible for events. The 2011 riots in London revealed significant aspects of UK gang organisation and culture which are the starting point to understanding these disturbances.

'Schools and the Economy' usually examines the role of teaching economics in schools to stimulate economic awareness in pupils, Simon Harding, Head of Economics at Westminster School, turns the argument around, to reveal how markets operating inside schools would improve efficiency, increase consumer choice, weed out incompetence, and. encourage diversity.

"This book reconsiders the traditional understandings of youth violence in various forms, such as gang activities, criminal behavior, and weapons use, focusing on the psychosocial elements of violence among children, teenagers, and young adults"--Provided by publisher.

This is the first book in the UK or US to set on record the recent cultural phenomenon of the use of certain dog breeds - both legal and illegal - to 'convey status' upon their owners. Such dogs are easily visible on social housing estates throughout the UK and in projects in the USA and provide acquired authority, respect, power and control. However they are increasingly linked to urban street gangs as 'Weapon Dogs' and present a danger to the ordinary public especially those using parks and open spaces with increased injuries being presented at UK hospitals. Though initially slow to react, local and statutory authorities are now seeking to address the issue through action plans and interventions. Written in a fresh, engaging and accessible style, this unique book contextualizes the phenomenon in terms of sociology, criminology and public policy. It considers a complex mix of urban and social deprivation, social control of public space and the influence of contemporary media imagery and 'gangsta' culture. It will make essential reading for academics and policy makers in criminology and criminal justice and those working with animal rights/animal welfare groups

This research working paper examines legal aspects of the phenomenon of dog-fighting in the contemporary United Kingdom (UK). Its aim is to, so far as is possible, examine the extent of dog-fighting activity, the nature of dog-fighting offences and the complexity of dog-fighting criminality and criminal justice responses to dog-fighting with a view to assessing whether contemporary social and criminal justice policy is adequate to deal with the level and nature of dog-fighting issues. In respect of this issue, the research makes a number of policy recommendations, as well as recommendations for future research to further assess the current enforcement landscape. The focus of this research working paper is primarily the law relating to dog-fighting in England and Wales, examining the nature and extent of dog-fighting offences within UK legislation. Ortiz (2010, p.7-8) argues that dog-fighting is primarily a working class pursuit which arose as a consequence of urbanization in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as the popularity of bull-baiting declined and rural labourers migrated to the cities bringing their love of blood sports with them. 'Pit sports' such as dog-fighting offered not only the entertainment of the fight but also the release and excitement of associated gambling activities and the opportunity for workers to hold evening matches indoors while being able to return to work the following day (Ortiz, 2010, p.8; Evans and Forsythe, 1998). Accordingly, dog-fighting existed within a predominantly white, working-class subculture of like-minded enthusiasts and represented a distinct type of organised animal exploitation. However, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and others, report that contemporary dog-fighting has moved away from its organised pit-based origins to encompass street dog-fighting in the form of chain fighting or chain rolling, the use of dogs as status or weapon dogs (Harding, 2012). Thus one question for this research is whether legislation and enforcement policy has kept pace with developments in dog-fighting and the evolution of its linked criminality. In assessing this issue, the research conclusions and recommendations (see later in this working paper) identify some shortcomings in the current approach to dog-fighting albeit the need for further research and analysis is specified. It worth noting early on that the literature and research on dog-fighting remains extremely limited. This is particularly the case for UK literature. Consequently it is necessary to draw upon the somewhat wider literature from the USA. This literature is both historic and contemporary and often culturally situated. Nevertheless there are many aspects of dog-fighting, including the Rules of Dog-fighting and the guidance for preparing and training dogs which have direct cross over, similarity and applicability to the UK situation, despite the obvious different cultural contexts. As a result we shall draw upon this work and this is often reflected in the use of American references and citations. Naturally the legislative provisions and processes differ extensively in the USA which limits the applicability of US legislative solutions to the UK context.

AbstractThis article presents insights from qualitative research into organised crime (OC) in Glasgow, Scotland. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 42 current and former offenders with a history of group offending in an attempt to understand variation in the onset, maintenance, and cessation of OC careers. Offending narratives revealed different OC trajectories. Drug dealing was the primary modus operandi of OC groups, but some offenders exhibited versatility and progression to wider criminal activity or a mix of illegitimate activity and legitimate business. Implications for future policing strategies and suggested additional research are outlined in response to these findings.

This study reports the results of a qualitative study of patient experiences of receiving treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration with ranibizumab (Lucentis)(R). Treatment involved monthly hospital visits for assessment and, where required, an intravitreal Lucentis injection. Qualitative narrative interviews were conducted with 22 patients, 18 of whom received treatment and were interviewed at two points during their treatment journey. Interviews allowed participants to reflect on their experiences of being assessed for and receiving this treatment. Overall, treated participants reported that while they had been apprehensive about treatment, the actual experience of it was far less unpleasant than they had expected. However, the data also revealed a number of issues surrounding the provision of information about treatment, as well as service delivery issues, which had considerable impact upon their experience.