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Papers by Tammy Anderson

Symbolic Interaction

This study investigates the value of techniques of neutralization in understanding how people inv... more This study investigates the value of techniques of neutralization in understanding how people involved in marginal to widely deviant behaviors perform identity work. Based on 33 in-depth interviews with older adult gamblers, we show how techniques of neutralization are used to align personal and social identities. We describe the techniques of neutralizations our participants use along a continuum of gambling involvement, showing how techniques differ in variety and content and are contingent on larger narratives about appropriate behaviors, identities, and selves operating in contemporary society. Our research helps to refine sociologists' understandings of relationships between levels of involvement in deviant behaviors and identity work.

The Prison Journal, 2002

Page 1. THE PRISON JOURNAL / March 2002 Anderson et al. / FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS THE IMPACT OF DRU... more Page 1. THE PRISON JOURNAL / March 2002 Anderson et al. / FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS THE IMPACT OF DRUG USE AND CRIME INVOLVEMENT ON HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS TAMMY ...

In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs ... more In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs overdose deaths. Research finds such overdose deaths are linked to neighborhood-level traits, thus providing opportunity to identify effective interventions. Typically, techniques such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) or Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) are used to document neighborhood-level factors significant in explaining such adverse outcomes. These techniques are, however, less equipped to ascertain non-linear relationships between confounding factors. Hence, in this study we apply machine learning based techniques to identify opioid risks of neighborhoods in Delaware and explore the correlation of these factors using Shapley Additive explanations (SHAP). We discovered that the factors related to neighborhoods environment, followed by education and then crime, were highly correlated with higher opioid risk. We also explored the change in these correlations over the years to under...

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

The persistence of the nation’s opioid epidemic has called on criminal justice and public health ... more The persistence of the nation’s opioid epidemic has called on criminal justice and public health agencies to collaborate more than ever. This epidemiological criminology framework highlights the surveillance of public health and safety, often using data science approaches, to inform best practices. The purpose of our article is to delineate the main benefits and challenges of adopting data science approaches for epidemiological criminology partnerships, research, and policy. We offer “lessons learned” from our opioid research in Delaware and Florida to advise future researchers, especially those working closely with policymakers and practitioners in translating science into impactful best practices. We begin with a description of our projects, pivot to the challenges we have faced in contributing to science and policy, and close with recommendations for future research, public advocacy, and practice.

ArXiv, 2021

In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs ... more In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs overdose deaths. Research finds such overdose deaths are linked to neighborhood-level traits, thus providing opportunity to identify effective interventions. Typically, techniques such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) or Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) are used to document neighborhood-level factors significant in explaining such adverse outcomes. These techniques are, however, less equipped to ascertain non-linear relationships between confounding factors. Hence, in this study we apply machine learning based techniques to identify opioid risks of neighborhoods in Delaware and explore the correlation of these factors using Shapley Additive explanations (SHAP). We discovered that the factors related to neighborhoods’ environment, followed by education and then crime, were highly correlated with higher opioid risk. We also explored the change in these correlations over the years to unde...

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the American Society of Criminology-Di... more This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the American Society of Criminology-Division on Women and Crime at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Division on Women and Crime Documents and Correspondence by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects.

Adicciones, 2009

This editorial presents the views of the guest editors of this collection in summarising some of ... more This editorial presents the views of the guest editors of this collection in summarising some of the general themes arising from a selection of papers presented at the 2008 Club Health Conference in Ibiza, Spain. Particular emphasis is placed upon the value of comparative approaches to club studies, youth culture and substance use so that researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners can gain new understanding of the interplay of local and global factors which shape club cultures, nightlife scenes, and individual lifestyles. By contextualizing the studies in this volume, the editorial outlines important themes and issues which will help promote Club Studies as an interdisciplinary field of endeavour well into the future.

Criminal Justice and Behavior

Journeys to crime, or distances traveled from residences to places of alleged crimes, describe ho... more Journeys to crime, or distances traveled from residences to places of alleged crimes, describe how people enter into the criminal justice system. Race, as an ascribed characteristic of individuals and a determinant of community conditions, introduces disparities in journeys to crime. Use of opioids among nonurban, White populations and changing law enforcement responses prompt inquiry into how race affects journeys to crime associated with opioid possession. This study evaluates Black–White differences in travel among persons arrested for opioid possession in Delaware. It applies race and rationality theory to assess the effects of race and racialized context on travel patterns. Multilevel models reveal travel to possess opioids is greater for White relative to Black Delawareans. Community conditions such as marijuana possession arrest rates and concentrated disadvantage have varying impacts on travel from various geographic areas. Racial–spatial differences in travel show persisten...

Deviant Behavior

ABSTRACT Although sanctioned by state governments and widely popular across the United States, ga... more ABSTRACT Although sanctioned by state governments and widely popular across the United States, gambling remains a controversial activity. For example, casino gambling may be legal and popular, but many believe squandering money is harmful and deviant. People from all backgrounds visit casinos. However, older adults comprise a major portion of the gambling clientele. Along with this have come reports of a wide variety of negative outcomes. Yet, few studies have investigated the relationship between gambling and the family. We use a qualitative in-depth interview grounded theory approach with 34 adults aged 62–88 to investigate the relationship between gambling and family consequences. We explore the impact of gambling on the family with the active aging concept as well as the codependency and sociocultural models of addiction. They offer new ways to understand mild to serious deviance among older adults.

Substance Use & Misuse

Abstract Background: The US opioid epidemic largely featured deaths from prescribed medications d... more Abstract Background: The US opioid epidemic largely featured deaths from prescribed medications during Wave 1 (1990–2010), but its progression since then has resulted more so from deaths to illegal opioids—such as heroin (Wave 2 – 2010–2013) and fentanyl (Wave 3 – 2013-present). As deaths to illegally manufactured fentanyl have increased, attention to the role of prescribed opioids may be waning. However, the shifting nature of today’s opioid epidemic demands we monitor how both legal and illegal drugs are involved in overdose deaths. Objectives: The purpose of our study is to investigate the prescription drug (Rx) records of overdose death decedents to illuminate the continued role of prescribed medications in Wave 3 deaths. Methods: We matched drug overdose death data and prescription drug monitoring data to investigate the prescription drug records (i.e. types of opioids and other medications) of Delaware, USA, decedents who died from a drug overdose death between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2015 (27 months). Results: Fentanyl decedents differed significantly from other decedents in prescribed medications, including the amount and proximity of opioid and Rx fentanyl prescriptions before death. These relationships held while controlling for demographic characteristics and contributing health conditions. Conclusions: Our findings show a continued presence of Rx opioids in overdose deaths and that those dying from fentanyl had different Rx records than those who died from other drugs. Continued monitoring of Rx drugs, improved toxicology testing and greater data access for more research should follow to inform effective interventions.

Criminal Justice Policy Review

Opioid abuse has redefined drug problems in communities and shifted police activities to redress ... more Opioid abuse has redefined drug problems in communities and shifted police activities to redress substance use. Changing neighborhood context around opioid issues may affect arrests and racial disparities in their imposition. This study presents a spatial analysis of arrests involving Blacks and Whites for possession of heroin, synthetic narcotics, and opium offenses. We identify the ecological conditions associated with opioid-related arrests using geographically weighted regression (GWR) methods that illuminate local patterns by allowing coefficients to vary across space. GWR models reveal spatial and racial differences in opioid-related possession arrest rates. Calls for police service for overdoses increase White arrests in more advantaged, rural communities. Economic disadvantage and racial diversity in neighborhoods more strongly elevate possession arrest rates among Blacks relative to Whites. Overdose calls predict Black arrests in poorer urban areas. Findings underscore poli...

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

OBJECTIVE Drug overdoses among men have historically outnumbered those among women by a large mar... more OBJECTIVE Drug overdoses among men have historically outnumbered those among women by a large margin. Yet, U.S. research on the first wave of the opioid epidemic involving prescription opioids has found women to be at increased risk. The current study considers if the narrowing gender gap in overdose deaths, as observed during the first wave, has continued into the most recent third wave, dominated by synthetic opioid deaths. This requires consideration of interactions between gender, age, and type of drug implicated. METHOD Drawing on 2013-2017 Delaware toxicology reports for a total of 890 overdose deaths involving opioids, we distinguished between four gender/age groups--women 15-44, women 45-64, men 15-44, and men 45-64--to calculate crude death rates, male-to-female death rate ratios, and younger-to-older death rate ratios by type of opioid. RESULTS Opioid overdose death rates during the third wave increased among both men (+102%) and women (+46%), but the larger increase among men resulted in an increase in the male-to-female death rate ratio (from 1.9 to 2.6). This trend was driven by the growing contribution of fentanyl (from 16% to 76%) and heroin overdose deaths (from 27% to 50%) compared with other opioid overdose deaths, which disproportionately affected men and younger individuals. Higher male-to-female death rate ratios were observed among older, compared with younger, individuals. CONCLUSIONS Overdose deaths seem to have returned to a historically familiar pattern of dominance by younger males. Our findings suggest the gender-age distribution in deaths to specific opioid types must be considered for effective intervention.

Contemporary Drug Problems

Drugs and crime research and theory in the United States originated after President Nixon declare... more Drugs and crime research and theory in the United States originated after President Nixon declared the first War on Drugs in 1971. This research agenda promised to reveal the scope, dynamics, and impact of the drugs–crime relationship, thus promising solutions for the country’s drug problems. The initial focus was on drug trade violence and, as a result, produced scholarship mostly on men’s involvement in drug distribution, purchasing, and related crimes. It paid little attention to women’s involvement and failed to consider how gender might shape the drugs–crime relationship. By the early 1980s, however, studies began to appear on women’s experiences and addressed the role of gender in U.S. street-based illegal markets for crack cocaine and heroin. These studies revealed women’s relative powerlessness or supporting roles to domineering males in illegal, street-based drug markets. Today, drugs of concern in the U.S. originate and are sold and purchased through both legal and illegal channels that often work in tandem. This interplay requires us to rethink the drugs–crime relationship. Our article seeks to provoke new thinking and research on how 21st-century drug trends might reshape the gendered nature of drug selling across both legal and illegal markets and the gray area in between. In specific terms, we review the nature of women’s involvement in newer drug markets and consider how their involvement differs from that of men and how theory and research might move forward in addressing these changes. Our conclusions, and those reached by others in this issue, speak to the centrality of gender scholarship in research and policy on drugs and crime currently and into the future.

Race and Justice

As opioid addiction has risen in recent years, racial disparities in drug arrests may be changing... more As opioid addiction has risen in recent years, racial disparities in drug arrests may be changing in their size and sources. Neighborhood conditions, like economic disadvantage and racial composition, are powerful determinants of racial differences in arrests. Overdoses and police responses to these incidents may, however, alter the neighborhood context of drug arrests, especially those tied to heroin, synthetic narcotics, and related opium derivatives offenses. This study revisits the environmental correlates of arrest disparities by conducting a neighborhood-level analysis of Black–White differences in drug possession and selling arrests by substance type across the State of Delaware. Spatial model estimates suggest economic disadvantage and racial diversity in neighborhoods substantially increase Black arrest rates. Conversely, White arrest rates grow with more calls for service for overdose incidents, racial homogeneity, and to a lesser extent, economic disadvantage within a com...

Journal of Drug Issues

For the better part of the 21st century, opioid abuse and related consequences have beleaguered t... more For the better part of the 21st century, opioid abuse and related consequences have beleaguered the United States. Effectively fighting the crisis may require a better understanding of potential differences among the types of opioids available as treating them as one homogeneous group may mask emerging trends and conflate more benign ones with those more troubling. The purpose of our study is to investigate changes in prescribing patterns of four groups of opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and other) and how community-level factors explain their variation over time. We use a census tract–level data set with population, concentrated disadvantage, and prescription drug monitoring payment variables to address our goals. Findings show disparate prescribing patterns among the four types of opioids and considerable differences in the community factors that predict their change. Implications for future research and interventions follow.

Journal of community health, Jan 20, 2018

The current opioid epidemic continues to challenge us in new and potentially troubling ways. For ... more The current opioid epidemic continues to challenge us in new and potentially troubling ways. For example, research today finds more overdose deaths occurring in rural, rather than urban, geographic areas. Yet, studies have often ignored heterogeneities within these spaces and the neighborhood variations therein. Using geodemographic classification, we investigate neighborhood differences in overdose death rates by geographical areas to further understand where and among what groups the problem might be most concentrated. For deaths between 2013 and 2016, we find significant variation in rates among neighborhoods, defined by their socio-economic and demographic characteristics. For example, overdose death rates vary up to 13-fold among neighborhoods within geographic areas. Our results overall show that while the rural or urban classification of a geographic area is important in understanding the current overdose problem, a more segmented analysis by neighborhood's socio-economic...

Hello. My name is Gabby. I'm a supercool feedee 1 who loves life and loves pleasing you on and of... more Hello. My name is Gabby. I'm a supercool feedee 1 who loves life and loves pleasing you on and off the camera! I love being naughty with food, in public, and just going all out with snacking and eating. I am a growing girl and I would love if you would join my journey of showing how beautiful fat, soft rolls are and how beautiful fat really is. http://gaininggabi.com/index1.html Are feedees like Gabby deviant? If yes, how so? Understanding Deviance: Connecting Classical and Contemporary Perspectives dares readers to think in new and innovative ways about deviance in society. Many of us, including sociologists who study deviance, would answer "yes" to the first question and assume we could get Gabby to conform to our norms about body size. Our expectations for this are conveyed weekly on TV shows such as "the Biggest Loser." Contestants like Megan (http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/contestants/megan/bio/) tries to conform to our standards, while feedees like Gabby violate them. On "the Biggest Loser" webpage, we learn that Megan sees herself as: "fun-loving, comedic, artistic and high-spirited young adult who is missing out on enjoying life" because of her inability to do things that most 21-year-olds can do…Now 21 years old, 259 pounds and tired of her weight holding her back, she wants to get healthy so she can participate in rodeos again and win, train horses, and shop at regular clothing stores 2. Gabby, on the other hand, is a 5'9," 26 year-old, heterosexual blonde that wears a 38-44 women's pant size-more than four times the average size of women her height (i.e., average is 1. According to Urbandictionary.com, a Feedee is a "male/female (typically female) that wishes to gain weight (to become more attractive to chubby chasers) through means of stuffing one's face with unhealthy food goods" http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=feedee.

The British Journal of Criminology, 2016

Trends in substance use and risks of harm are partially contingent on the twin regulatory apparat... more Trends in substance use and risks of harm are partially contingent on the twin regulatory apparatuses of government and economy. In this paper, we integrate prior research on the restructuring of the night-time cultural economy, the state’s War on Drugs and the macro-level production of risk using Philadelphia’s night-time leisure scene as a case example. In doing so, we consider how the reorganization of night-time leisure has affected substance use among young adults such that use patterns and risks of harm are homogenized across nightlife attendees, independent of their genre-scene affiliations. Theoretically, we aim to advance the risk environment paradigm of drug-related harm by considering direct-contact, predatory forms of victimization that result from macro-level shifts reflecting the contradictions of neoliberal governance.

Symbolic Interaction

This study investigates the value of techniques of neutralization in understanding how people inv... more This study investigates the value of techniques of neutralization in understanding how people involved in marginal to widely deviant behaviors perform identity work. Based on 33 in-depth interviews with older adult gamblers, we show how techniques of neutralization are used to align personal and social identities. We describe the techniques of neutralizations our participants use along a continuum of gambling involvement, showing how techniques differ in variety and content and are contingent on larger narratives about appropriate behaviors, identities, and selves operating in contemporary society. Our research helps to refine sociologists' understandings of relationships between levels of involvement in deviant behaviors and identity work.

The Prison Journal, 2002

Page 1. THE PRISON JOURNAL / March 2002 Anderson et al. / FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS THE IMPACT OF DRU... more Page 1. THE PRISON JOURNAL / March 2002 Anderson et al. / FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS THE IMPACT OF DRUG USE AND CRIME INVOLVEMENT ON HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG FEMALE DRUG OFFENDERS TAMMY ...

In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs ... more In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs overdose deaths. Research finds such overdose deaths are linked to neighborhood-level traits, thus providing opportunity to identify effective interventions. Typically, techniques such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) or Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) are used to document neighborhood-level factors significant in explaining such adverse outcomes. These techniques are, however, less equipped to ascertain non-linear relationships between confounding factors. Hence, in this study we apply machine learning based techniques to identify opioid risks of neighborhoods in Delaware and explore the correlation of these factors using Shapley Additive explanations (SHAP). We discovered that the factors related to neighborhoods environment, followed by education and then crime, were highly correlated with higher opioid risk. We also explored the change in these correlations over the years to under...

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

The persistence of the nation’s opioid epidemic has called on criminal justice and public health ... more The persistence of the nation’s opioid epidemic has called on criminal justice and public health agencies to collaborate more than ever. This epidemiological criminology framework highlights the surveillance of public health and safety, often using data science approaches, to inform best practices. The purpose of our article is to delineate the main benefits and challenges of adopting data science approaches for epidemiological criminology partnerships, research, and policy. We offer “lessons learned” from our opioid research in Delaware and Florida to advise future researchers, especially those working closely with policymakers and practitioners in translating science into impactful best practices. We begin with a description of our projects, pivot to the challenges we have faced in contributing to science and policy, and close with recommendations for future research, public advocacy, and practice.

ArXiv, 2021

In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs ... more In recent years, the US has experienced an opioid epidemic with an unprecedented number of drugs overdose deaths. Research finds such overdose deaths are linked to neighborhood-level traits, thus providing opportunity to identify effective interventions. Typically, techniques such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) or Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) are used to document neighborhood-level factors significant in explaining such adverse outcomes. These techniques are, however, less equipped to ascertain non-linear relationships between confounding factors. Hence, in this study we apply machine learning based techniques to identify opioid risks of neighborhoods in Delaware and explore the correlation of these factors using Shapley Additive explanations (SHAP). We discovered that the factors related to neighborhoods’ environment, followed by education and then crime, were highly correlated with higher opioid risk. We also explored the change in these correlations over the years to unde...

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the American Society of Criminology-Di... more This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the American Society of Criminology-Division on Women and Crime at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Division on Women and Crime Documents and Correspondence by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects.

Adicciones, 2009

This editorial presents the views of the guest editors of this collection in summarising some of ... more This editorial presents the views of the guest editors of this collection in summarising some of the general themes arising from a selection of papers presented at the 2008 Club Health Conference in Ibiza, Spain. Particular emphasis is placed upon the value of comparative approaches to club studies, youth culture and substance use so that researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners can gain new understanding of the interplay of local and global factors which shape club cultures, nightlife scenes, and individual lifestyles. By contextualizing the studies in this volume, the editorial outlines important themes and issues which will help promote Club Studies as an interdisciplinary field of endeavour well into the future.

Criminal Justice and Behavior

Journeys to crime, or distances traveled from residences to places of alleged crimes, describe ho... more Journeys to crime, or distances traveled from residences to places of alleged crimes, describe how people enter into the criminal justice system. Race, as an ascribed characteristic of individuals and a determinant of community conditions, introduces disparities in journeys to crime. Use of opioids among nonurban, White populations and changing law enforcement responses prompt inquiry into how race affects journeys to crime associated with opioid possession. This study evaluates Black–White differences in travel among persons arrested for opioid possession in Delaware. It applies race and rationality theory to assess the effects of race and racialized context on travel patterns. Multilevel models reveal travel to possess opioids is greater for White relative to Black Delawareans. Community conditions such as marijuana possession arrest rates and concentrated disadvantage have varying impacts on travel from various geographic areas. Racial–spatial differences in travel show persisten...

Deviant Behavior

ABSTRACT Although sanctioned by state governments and widely popular across the United States, ga... more ABSTRACT Although sanctioned by state governments and widely popular across the United States, gambling remains a controversial activity. For example, casino gambling may be legal and popular, but many believe squandering money is harmful and deviant. People from all backgrounds visit casinos. However, older adults comprise a major portion of the gambling clientele. Along with this have come reports of a wide variety of negative outcomes. Yet, few studies have investigated the relationship between gambling and the family. We use a qualitative in-depth interview grounded theory approach with 34 adults aged 62–88 to investigate the relationship between gambling and family consequences. We explore the impact of gambling on the family with the active aging concept as well as the codependency and sociocultural models of addiction. They offer new ways to understand mild to serious deviance among older adults.

Substance Use & Misuse

Abstract Background: The US opioid epidemic largely featured deaths from prescribed medications d... more Abstract Background: The US opioid epidemic largely featured deaths from prescribed medications during Wave 1 (1990–2010), but its progression since then has resulted more so from deaths to illegal opioids—such as heroin (Wave 2 – 2010–2013) and fentanyl (Wave 3 – 2013-present). As deaths to illegally manufactured fentanyl have increased, attention to the role of prescribed opioids may be waning. However, the shifting nature of today’s opioid epidemic demands we monitor how both legal and illegal drugs are involved in overdose deaths. Objectives: The purpose of our study is to investigate the prescription drug (Rx) records of overdose death decedents to illuminate the continued role of prescribed medications in Wave 3 deaths. Methods: We matched drug overdose death data and prescription drug monitoring data to investigate the prescription drug records (i.e. types of opioids and other medications) of Delaware, USA, decedents who died from a drug overdose death between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2015 (27 months). Results: Fentanyl decedents differed significantly from other decedents in prescribed medications, including the amount and proximity of opioid and Rx fentanyl prescriptions before death. These relationships held while controlling for demographic characteristics and contributing health conditions. Conclusions: Our findings show a continued presence of Rx opioids in overdose deaths and that those dying from fentanyl had different Rx records than those who died from other drugs. Continued monitoring of Rx drugs, improved toxicology testing and greater data access for more research should follow to inform effective interventions.

Criminal Justice Policy Review

Opioid abuse has redefined drug problems in communities and shifted police activities to redress ... more Opioid abuse has redefined drug problems in communities and shifted police activities to redress substance use. Changing neighborhood context around opioid issues may affect arrests and racial disparities in their imposition. This study presents a spatial analysis of arrests involving Blacks and Whites for possession of heroin, synthetic narcotics, and opium offenses. We identify the ecological conditions associated with opioid-related arrests using geographically weighted regression (GWR) methods that illuminate local patterns by allowing coefficients to vary across space. GWR models reveal spatial and racial differences in opioid-related possession arrest rates. Calls for police service for overdoses increase White arrests in more advantaged, rural communities. Economic disadvantage and racial diversity in neighborhoods more strongly elevate possession arrest rates among Blacks relative to Whites. Overdose calls predict Black arrests in poorer urban areas. Findings underscore poli...

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

OBJECTIVE Drug overdoses among men have historically outnumbered those among women by a large mar... more OBJECTIVE Drug overdoses among men have historically outnumbered those among women by a large margin. Yet, U.S. research on the first wave of the opioid epidemic involving prescription opioids has found women to be at increased risk. The current study considers if the narrowing gender gap in overdose deaths, as observed during the first wave, has continued into the most recent third wave, dominated by synthetic opioid deaths. This requires consideration of interactions between gender, age, and type of drug implicated. METHOD Drawing on 2013-2017 Delaware toxicology reports for a total of 890 overdose deaths involving opioids, we distinguished between four gender/age groups--women 15-44, women 45-64, men 15-44, and men 45-64--to calculate crude death rates, male-to-female death rate ratios, and younger-to-older death rate ratios by type of opioid. RESULTS Opioid overdose death rates during the third wave increased among both men (+102%) and women (+46%), but the larger increase among men resulted in an increase in the male-to-female death rate ratio (from 1.9 to 2.6). This trend was driven by the growing contribution of fentanyl (from 16% to 76%) and heroin overdose deaths (from 27% to 50%) compared with other opioid overdose deaths, which disproportionately affected men and younger individuals. Higher male-to-female death rate ratios were observed among older, compared with younger, individuals. CONCLUSIONS Overdose deaths seem to have returned to a historically familiar pattern of dominance by younger males. Our findings suggest the gender-age distribution in deaths to specific opioid types must be considered for effective intervention.

Contemporary Drug Problems

Drugs and crime research and theory in the United States originated after President Nixon declare... more Drugs and crime research and theory in the United States originated after President Nixon declared the first War on Drugs in 1971. This research agenda promised to reveal the scope, dynamics, and impact of the drugs–crime relationship, thus promising solutions for the country’s drug problems. The initial focus was on drug trade violence and, as a result, produced scholarship mostly on men’s involvement in drug distribution, purchasing, and related crimes. It paid little attention to women’s involvement and failed to consider how gender might shape the drugs–crime relationship. By the early 1980s, however, studies began to appear on women’s experiences and addressed the role of gender in U.S. street-based illegal markets for crack cocaine and heroin. These studies revealed women’s relative powerlessness or supporting roles to domineering males in illegal, street-based drug markets. Today, drugs of concern in the U.S. originate and are sold and purchased through both legal and illegal channels that often work in tandem. This interplay requires us to rethink the drugs–crime relationship. Our article seeks to provoke new thinking and research on how 21st-century drug trends might reshape the gendered nature of drug selling across both legal and illegal markets and the gray area in between. In specific terms, we review the nature of women’s involvement in newer drug markets and consider how their involvement differs from that of men and how theory and research might move forward in addressing these changes. Our conclusions, and those reached by others in this issue, speak to the centrality of gender scholarship in research and policy on drugs and crime currently and into the future.

Race and Justice

As opioid addiction has risen in recent years, racial disparities in drug arrests may be changing... more As opioid addiction has risen in recent years, racial disparities in drug arrests may be changing in their size and sources. Neighborhood conditions, like economic disadvantage and racial composition, are powerful determinants of racial differences in arrests. Overdoses and police responses to these incidents may, however, alter the neighborhood context of drug arrests, especially those tied to heroin, synthetic narcotics, and related opium derivatives offenses. This study revisits the environmental correlates of arrest disparities by conducting a neighborhood-level analysis of Black–White differences in drug possession and selling arrests by substance type across the State of Delaware. Spatial model estimates suggest economic disadvantage and racial diversity in neighborhoods substantially increase Black arrest rates. Conversely, White arrest rates grow with more calls for service for overdose incidents, racial homogeneity, and to a lesser extent, economic disadvantage within a com...

Journal of Drug Issues

For the better part of the 21st century, opioid abuse and related consequences have beleaguered t... more For the better part of the 21st century, opioid abuse and related consequences have beleaguered the United States. Effectively fighting the crisis may require a better understanding of potential differences among the types of opioids available as treating them as one homogeneous group may mask emerging trends and conflate more benign ones with those more troubling. The purpose of our study is to investigate changes in prescribing patterns of four groups of opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and other) and how community-level factors explain their variation over time. We use a census tract–level data set with population, concentrated disadvantage, and prescription drug monitoring payment variables to address our goals. Findings show disparate prescribing patterns among the four types of opioids and considerable differences in the community factors that predict their change. Implications for future research and interventions follow.

Journal of community health, Jan 20, 2018

The current opioid epidemic continues to challenge us in new and potentially troubling ways. For ... more The current opioid epidemic continues to challenge us in new and potentially troubling ways. For example, research today finds more overdose deaths occurring in rural, rather than urban, geographic areas. Yet, studies have often ignored heterogeneities within these spaces and the neighborhood variations therein. Using geodemographic classification, we investigate neighborhood differences in overdose death rates by geographical areas to further understand where and among what groups the problem might be most concentrated. For deaths between 2013 and 2016, we find significant variation in rates among neighborhoods, defined by their socio-economic and demographic characteristics. For example, overdose death rates vary up to 13-fold among neighborhoods within geographic areas. Our results overall show that while the rural or urban classification of a geographic area is important in understanding the current overdose problem, a more segmented analysis by neighborhood's socio-economic...

Hello. My name is Gabby. I'm a supercool feedee 1 who loves life and loves pleasing you on and of... more Hello. My name is Gabby. I'm a supercool feedee 1 who loves life and loves pleasing you on and off the camera! I love being naughty with food, in public, and just going all out with snacking and eating. I am a growing girl and I would love if you would join my journey of showing how beautiful fat, soft rolls are and how beautiful fat really is. http://gaininggabi.com/index1.html Are feedees like Gabby deviant? If yes, how so? Understanding Deviance: Connecting Classical and Contemporary Perspectives dares readers to think in new and innovative ways about deviance in society. Many of us, including sociologists who study deviance, would answer "yes" to the first question and assume we could get Gabby to conform to our norms about body size. Our expectations for this are conveyed weekly on TV shows such as "the Biggest Loser." Contestants like Megan (http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/contestants/megan/bio/) tries to conform to our standards, while feedees like Gabby violate them. On "the Biggest Loser" webpage, we learn that Megan sees herself as: "fun-loving, comedic, artistic and high-spirited young adult who is missing out on enjoying life" because of her inability to do things that most 21-year-olds can do…Now 21 years old, 259 pounds and tired of her weight holding her back, she wants to get healthy so she can participate in rodeos again and win, train horses, and shop at regular clothing stores 2. Gabby, on the other hand, is a 5'9," 26 year-old, heterosexual blonde that wears a 38-44 women's pant size-more than four times the average size of women her height (i.e., average is 1. According to Urbandictionary.com, a Feedee is a "male/female (typically female) that wishes to gain weight (to become more attractive to chubby chasers) through means of stuffing one's face with unhealthy food goods" http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=feedee.

The British Journal of Criminology, 2016

Trends in substance use and risks of harm are partially contingent on the twin regulatory apparat... more Trends in substance use and risks of harm are partially contingent on the twin regulatory apparatuses of government and economy. In this paper, we integrate prior research on the restructuring of the night-time cultural economy, the state’s War on Drugs and the macro-level production of risk using Philadelphia’s night-time leisure scene as a case example. In doing so, we consider how the reorganization of night-time leisure has affected substance use among young adults such that use patterns and risks of harm are homogenized across nightlife attendees, independent of their genre-scene affiliations. Theoretically, we aim to advance the risk environment paradigm of drug-related harm by considering direct-contact, predatory forms of victimization that result from macro-level shifts reflecting the contradictions of neoliberal governance.