Dr Mike Salinas
Senior Lecturer in Criminology
My profile
Biography
I am a criminologist/ethnographer with a particular interest in offending careers over the life-course, illegal drug markets, and illegal drug use. My Ph.D (University of Manchester, 2014) was based on a six-year ethnography of drug suppliers: the mechanics of their operations and the reasons for their fluctuating involvement in the illicit drug supply-chain. In 2015 the study was awarded ‘Best PhD’ in Organised Crime by the International Association for the Study of Organized Crime (IASOC, Washington D.C.). I have studied the intricacies of drug markets at various levels of the supply chain - including at the retail, wholesale and import/export stages. I have published findings from my PhD, and I am currently publishing work based on my research into drug markets in Ibiza, and localised steroid (and other ‘image and performance enhancing drugs’) markets in the UK. My work draws upon theories/insights from sociology, economics and behavioural economics.
Words of wisdom
“Have some pride in what you do” (Abel Morales, from the film A Most Violent Year)
Academic and professional qualifications
PGCert (2017) Manchester Metropolitan Unicersity
PhD (2014) The University of Manchester
MRes Criminology and Socio-legal Studies (2009) The University of Manchester
BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology (2007) Manchester Metropolitan University
Government and industry links
‘Best PhD’ in Organized Crime (2015) awarded by the International Association for the Study of Organized Crime (Washington DC)
Other distinctions
Shortlised, ‘Best Postgraduate Teacher’ in the 2013 teaching awards at the University of Manchester
Teaching
Why do I teach?
Teaching is one of the most rewarding elements of my job and is more than simply the dissemination of facts and figures. I enjoy being challenged by students, as I too like to challenge them. I currently co-lead the first-year criminological theory unit alongside Rebecca Askew: we use a range of theoretical paradgims to answer the seemingly simple questions - what is crime, why do people commit crime, and what can policies do about it. I also co-lead the drug trends and drug policy unit alongside Rob Ralphs, where we assess the evolution of drug users, markets and policy (including through the use of our own research as well experts (guest lectures) from policy think-tanks, to law-enforcement).
Subject areas
Criminology
Research outputs
My interests (as stated above) reside broadly in the area of criminal careers over the life-course, the use and supply of illegal drug markets.
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Chapters in books
Salinas-Edwards, M. (2023) '“Doubling up”: drug dealing as a profitable side-hustle.' In Ayres, T.C., Ancrum, C. (ed.) Understanding drug dealing and illicit drug markets: national and international perspectives. London: Routledge, pp. 223-244.
Coomber, R., Salinas, M. (2019) 'The supply of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPED) to local non-elite users in England: Resilient traditional and newly emergent methods.' In van de Ven, K., Mulrooney, K.J.D., McVeigh, J. (ed.) Human Enhancement Drugs. Routledge,
Salinas-Edwards, M. (2013) '"It's not like Sainsbury's! We don't keep stock of anything." How drug dealers mitigate risk.' In van Duyne, P.C., Harvey, J., Antonopoulos, G.A., von Lampe, K., Maljevic, A., Spencer, J. (ed.) Human Dimensions in Organised Crime, Money Laundering and Corruption. Wolf Legal Publications, pp. 149-175.
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Journal articles
Berry, M., Salinas, M., Gundur, R.V. (2023) 'Financial risk management strategies of small to medium illicit drug enterprises: considering low-level money laundering.' Trends in Organized Crime,
Gibbs, N., Salinas, M., Turnock, L. (2022) 'Post‐industrial masculinities and gym culture: Graft, craft, and fraternity.' The British Journal of Sociology, 73(1) pp. 220-236.
McVeigh, J., Salinas-Edwards, M., Ralphs, R. (2020) 'A Sentinel Population: the public health benefits of monitoring enhanced body builders.' International Journal of Drug Policy, 95pp. 102890-102890.
Salinas, M., Floodgate, W., Ralphs, R. (2019) 'Polydrug use and polydrug markets amongst image and performance enhancing drug users: Implications for harm reduction interventions and drug policy.' International Journal of Drug Policy, 67pp. 43-51.
Askew, R., Salinas-Edwards, M.A. (2018) 'Status, stigma and stereotype: How drug takers and drug suppliers avoid negative labelling by virtue of their ‘conventional’ and ‘law-abiding’ lives.' Criminology and Criminal Justice, 19(3) pp. 311-327.
Salinas-Edwards, M. (2017) 'The Unusual Suspects: An Educated, Legitimately Employed Drug Dealing Network.' International Criminal Justice Review, 28(3) pp. 226-242.
Salinas-Edwards, M. (2015) 'Book Review: Code of the suburb: inside the world of young middle-class drug dealers.' Global Crime, 17(1) pp. 126-128.
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Conference papers
McVeigh, J., Salinas-Edwards, M., Ralphs, R. (2020) 'A sentinel population: the public health benefits of monitoring enhanced body builders.' In 7th International conference on novel psychoactive substances. Online, 18/11/2020 - 19/11/2020.