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HOMEBOYS, DOPE FIENDS, LEGITS, AND NEW JACKS *
Author(s) -
HAGEDORN JOHN M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1994.tb01152.x
Subject(s) - earnings , adult male , business , psychology , demographic economics , labour economics , economics , medicine , accounting
Milwaukee research finds that most young male adult gang members cannot be described accurately as “committed long‐term participants” in the drug economy. Rather, most adult gang members are involved sporadically with drug sales, moving in and out of conventional labor markets at irregular intervals. Four types of male adult gang members are described; only one type has rejected conventional values. Despite relatively high average earnings from drug sales, most gang members would accept full‐time jobs with modest wages. This suggests that severe and mandatory penalties for cocaine use and sales should be ended.