SOCIAL PROCESSES OF INITIATION INTO CRACK

The emergence of crack occurred during a period of intensifying social disorganization in urban areas that disrupted the informal controls that taught initiates how to use drugs and what amounts to use to achieve specific effects. Accordingly, differences in initiation into crack and other drugs were expected. Reports from initiates into crack and other drugs showed that the social processes of initiation did not differ. However, crack initiates differed from other initiates in their prior involvement with drug use and drug selling. Although informal controls continue to influence processes of initiation, the changing social ecology of urban areas suggests that these controls will be less influential in maintaining conventions and norms to regulate the use of crack. © 1991, Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. All rights reserved.