Book Review: Mona Lynch Sunbelt Justice: Arizona and the Transformation of American Punishment Stanford, California, Stanford University Press, 2009. 267 pp. $70.00. ISBN 978-0-8047-6284-7

• Author: Anne M. Nurse
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016810363781
• Published date: 01 December 2010
• Date: 01 December 2010
• Subject Matter: Articles

the role of drug, set, and setting, Perrone argues that characteristics of timing and capital must sup-

plement this theoretical framework to fully observe a ‘‘controlled drug use’’ ideology. The discus-

sion of these amendments is limited, that is, it becomes unclear from this research if Perrone is

suggesting that these additions can be generalized to the drug-using populations outside of the club

drug culture. Apart from this criticism, the study addresses and successfully links each of Zinberg’s

concepts to the club drug culture while partitioning a unique approach of both consumerism and car-

nival as central features to the understanding of club culture. Furthermore, Perrone’s theoretical

application does provide a persuasive argument for taking into consideration both capital and timing

as germane indicators for measuring and applying changes in drug use—an accomplishment that

builds on recent criminological literature addressing life-course indicators. Her findings suggest that

capital might prove as the most significant variable in explaining how social context varies among

‘‘privileged’’ adult drug users.

Perrone provides a solid history of both previous drug using subcultures as well as the historical,

social, and cultural forces that began to define the ‘‘club drug’’ era. Up until the 21st century, the

term ‘‘club drugs’’ seldom appeared in scholarly research. During 2001, data indicated a significant

increase in the use and availability of ecstasy (or 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA])

among America’s teenagers and young adults. Subsequently, MDMA became known and was con-

sidered the primary drug of choice among club going users. Although the use of MDMA was first

renowned as the vanguard among club drug users, other illicit substances such as Gamma hydroxy-

butyrate (GHB) and Ketamine (or Special K) were also common to the club culture. Perrone’s latest

research confirms those previous conjectures and suggests that these three particular substances are

still very prevalent among today’s club drug users. Moreover, her research indicates a recent expan-

sion in type of club drug use, noting an emergence in methamphetamines and prescription medica-

tions coupled with a growth in polydrug use behaviors within the club culture.

This book is best suited for students in an upper level illicit drugs course as a supplemental text;

where readers will be given a glossy insight into illicit drug use regarding a niche drug using pop-

ulation. This text may also prove useful for some advanced areas of social science where readers are

interested in the procedures of field research, data collection, and qualitative methodology as a

whole. Audiences who are curious about the investigation of deviant subcultures may also find this

book aesthetically appealing. Readers are provided with intimate details regarding motivations and

tribulations that adequately explain the onset and desistance for club drug use. As a final point, read-

ers will be forced into a theoretical inquiry, where one must address those structural and interperso-

nal attributes intrinsic to both drug users and the club culture all together.

Illicit drug use research in the form of ethnographies has recently been revitalized, proving as an

invaluable tool for public health and criminal justice agencies. This book is as an essential contri-

bution for these institutions, allowing one to rethink the criminal justice system as the sole interven-

tion in curbing drug use. In lieu of merely analyzing drug policy and advancing drug use theory,

I believe Perrone’s goal was to provide an image of the drug user, which is a sharp contrast to our

contemporary thought, using questions of ritual and folklore. By challenging the reader to balance

conventional norms and culture with illicit and deviant behavior, Perrone successfully leaves the

reader questioning this dissonance.

Mona Lynch

Sunbelt Justice: Arizona and the Transformation of American Punishment

Stanford, California, Stanford University Press, 2009. 267 pp. $70.00. ISBN 978-0-8047-6284-7

Reviewed by: Anne M. Nurse, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA

DOI: 10.1177/0734016810363781

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