Illness or Deviance?

In Illness or Deviance?, Jennifer Murphy explores the complex perspectives on drug addiction, examining how society often alternates between viewing it as a treatable disease or a criminal act. Through fieldwork at a drug court and treatment facility, she reveals the intertwined dynamics of therapeutic and punitive approaches, highlighting the economic and institutional factors at play. The book presents a nuanced analysis of addiction labeling and its policy implications, grounded in theories of medical sociology and criminology.