Postgraduate Researcher

Research

Research Interests

The link between drugs and crime; particularly why some drug users control their drug use, whilst others descend in to more problematic patterns of drug use and criminality.  The prison system, including drugs in prison and its subsequent treatment; specifically chemical detoxification and retoxification; the perceived links between substance use, self-harm and suicide within the prison system; and the issues surrounding female substance users.

PhD Research

Drugs and Crime: The True Relationship
Drugs and crime have become inextricably linked in contemporary discourse; particularly dominant is the notion that drug use causes crime, which underpins current drug policy and treatment.   However, contrary to the dominant ideology, the majority of arrestees, although drug users, are not problematic users and report little to no connection between their drug use and offending (UKDCP, 2008).  It is true that drugs are more prevalent in offender populations, than criminality is in drug using populations, but there is a lack of research explaining why some drug using offenders control their use whilst others do not or how this relates to criminality.  Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to elucidate on the drug crime relationship, by comparing male drug using offenders with male drug using non-offenders to see if there are any differences between drug users who commit crime and those who do not.

I am currently looking for male drug using offenders and non-offenders to participate in this research. The questionnaire is fairly long and takes about 35-45 minutes to complete, but please don't be put off by this as your input is invaluable.

If you are a drug user without a criminal record (i.e. no police cautions, have never been charged with a criminal offence or been found not guilty if charged) and would like to take part in my PhD research (confidentiality and anonymity is guaranteed), please use the following link http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQKFUCB58

If you are a drug user with a criminal record and would like to take part in my PhD research (confidentiality and anonymity is guaranteed), please use the following link http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CJ53PXHUN/

Alternatively, you can also opt to undertake this questionnaire with the help of the researcher who will assist in its administration. If this is your preferred choice, then please contact me directly on tca2@le.ac.uk.

Publications

Ayres, T.C. and Treadwell, J. (in press). 'Bars, Drugs and Football Thugs: Cocaine Use amongst English Football Firms'. Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Palmer, E. J., Hatcher, R. M., McGuire, J., Bilby, C. A. L., Ayres, T. C. and Hollin, C. R. (2011). 'Evaluation of the Addressing Substance-Related Offending (ASRO) Program for Substance-Using Offenders in the Community'. Substance Use and Misuse, 46 (8), 1072-1080.

Palmer, E. J., Hollin, C. R., Hatcher, R. M., and Ayres, T.C. (2010). Arson.  In F. Brookman, T. Bennett, M. Maguire, and H. Pierpoint (eds.), Handbook of Crime. (pp. 380-392). Cullompton: Willan.

Presentations

Ayres, T.C. and Jewkes, Y. (2011, September) The Haunting Spectacle of Crystal Meth: A Media Created Mythology? Paper presented at the 24th Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology annual conference, Geelong.

Ayres, T.C. and Wilson, A. (2011, July) Recreational Drug Use in Hard Times: Does Purity and Danger Help to Make Sense of Legal Highs. Paper presented at the British Society of Criminology annual conference, University of Northumbria.

Ayres, T.C. and Wilson, A. (2011, June/July). Why Legality Matters: The Influences Making Legal Highs the Drug of Choice. Paper presented at the York Deviance Conference, University of York.

Ayres, T.C. and Treadwell, J. (2010, July). Bars, Drugs and Football Thugs: Cocaine Use amongst English Football Firms. Paper presented at the British Society of Criminology annual conference, University of Leicester.

Ayres, T.C. (2010, July). Drugs and Crime: Drug Using Offenders versus Drug Using Non-Offenders.  Poster presented at the British Society of Criminology annual conference, University of Leicester.

Ayres, T.C. (2009, July). The Normalisation of Cocaine Usage among Contemporary Youth: Fiction or Fact? Paper presented at the British Society of Criminology annual conference, Cardiff University.

Ayres, T.C. (2008, June). Drugs and Crime: The True Relationship.  Poster presented at the festival of postgraduate research, University of Leicester.

Book Reviews

Ayres, T.C. (in press). 'Book Review: Controversies in Drug Policy and Practice - by N. McKeganey. British Journal of Criminology.

Ayres, T.C. (2011). 'Book Review: Tackling Addiction: Pathways to Recovery - by R. Yates and M.S. Malloch'. British Journal of Community Justice, 8 (2), 86-88.

Ayres. T.C. (2009). 'Book Review: Drugs and Crime - by R. Hammersley'. Health and Social Care in the Community, 17 (3), 322-323.

Professional Memberships

• The International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (active)
• The Howard League Early Career Network (active)
• The British Society of Criminology Post-Graduate Conference Committee (active)
• The European Association of Psychology and Law (active)
• The British Society of Criminology (active)
• The Howard League for Penal Reform (active)
• Drugscope (active)
• UNLOCK (active)