Raves

Raves
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Raves
Raves are defined as underground parties for teens and adolescents. At these events teens are exposed to a variety of “party drugs,” and risky behaviors that result in harm to their health, tape occurrences, and in some instances, death. Common locations that raves are held are in warehouses and underground locations to limit the accessibility and tracking ability of law enforcement officials. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center (2001) “Raves are held either in permanent dance clubs or at temporary venues set up for a single weekend event in abandoned warehouses, open fields, or empty buildings”(p 1). Raves pose a great deal of danger to those who attend because of the lack of security, voluntary and forced sexual occurrences and the ingestion of drugs. In this paper several diverse drugs that are found in raves will be explored, the challenges encountered by law enforcement official in locating raves will be addressed, and recommendations for law enforcement officers when raves are located.
Drugs Found in Raves
Drugs play a significant role in rave culture. Common drugs that can be found in raves include but are not limited to the following: Stimulants and hallucinogens. Stimulants that are common in raves are cocaine, ecstasy, and molly. Each of the aforementioned drugs evokes heightened senses that coincide with the carefree attitudes associated with most ravers. Hallucinogens that ravers frequently use at raves are LSD, Rohypnol, ketamine, and GHB (What Happens at Underground Raves? Risk, research and Harm Reduction).

The ravers have a strong belief that they are not engaging in risky or harmful behaviors because they select the drug of choice. Contrary to rave culture beliefs, detrimental health effects stem from rave drugs. Rave drugs or “party drugs” enhance the rave experience while “Some people also experience anxiety or panic attacks, blurred vision, dizziness, appetite and weight problems, nausea, headaches, stomach pains, vomiting, skin problems, irregular menstrual periods, and passing out”(Scott, 2002). Results of drug use at raves can lead to long-term health issues. Drug use also poses a threat to detecting and apprehending drug dealers and underage party goers by law enforcement.
Challenges Associated with Locating Raves
As previously mentions, raves are held in locations that are not easily detectable by law enforcement. Another challenge for law enforcement officers is gaining access to such a limited culture. Ravers typically spread the news about the location and who is hosting the event by word of mouth or social media. One of the apparent limitations for law enforcement is gaining access to the abovementioned information. For this reason, it is beneficial to make strategic plans that are geared toward achieving this goal. Lastly, limited understanding and knowledge of rave culture, language, and party locations are also three challenges for law enforcement. Hence, having a more concrete comprehensive plan can ameliorate challenges for law enforcement.
Recommendations
To assist in diminishing raves, police officers should form task forces of teens and adolescents that ca gain insight on raves, the key players in rave culture, well-known drug dealer, and find diverse ways to penetrate the issues at hand. Teens and adolescents should be given key persons that they are assigned to developing relationships with to ensure that they expand their accessibility to reducing drugs dealers networks, and drug use by teens and adolescents. Hence, the aforementioned task force and tactics can be used as tactical and strategic means in diminishing raves.
References
Scott, M. (2012.). Retrieved December 25, 2016, from https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/cd_rom/inaction1/pubs/RaveParties.pdfWhat Happens at Underground Raves? Risk, research and Harm Reduction. (2012). Journal of Socialomics, 01(01). doi:10.4172/2167-0358.1000e102