NCJ Number
142739
Date Published
1993
Length
14 pages
Annotation
As part of a larger study, 254 youths involved in crime in Miami were interviewed on the street about their drug use, crimes, and experiences with crack cocaine.
Abstract
The participants were located through standard multiple starting point "snowball sampling" techniques. They had all committed at least 10 index offenses or 100 lesser offenses. Eight-five percent were males. The interviews took place between October 1986 and November 1987. Results revealed that greater participation in the crack business was clearly associated not only with more crack use and more drug sales but also with more frequent use of other drugs and more property crimes and personal crimes. Findings indicated that for adolescent drug dealers, the relationship between crack and crime represents an intensified version of the classic drug-crime relationship originally described for adult heroin users. Both patterns rest on addiction, but for crack, the onset of addiction appears to be more rapid, while the maximum physiological intake and associated financial requirements seem more unlimited. For both, drug sales are the most common criminal offense, but the rewards of crack dealing go well beyond of "getting by," as through heroin dealing. Finally, young crack dealers become much more involved in a drug-crime lifestyle at an alarmingly younger age than do heroin dealers. Tables, notes, and 8 references