Teen Drug Sellers—An International Study of Segregated Drug Markets and Related Violence

Abstract

This study explores patterns of drug dealing in a multi-site sample of detained youth. Data are derived from the Drugs, Alcohol, Violence International (DAVI) study of male and female adolescents between the ages of 14–17 in four metropolitan areas: Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Montreal (Canada), Philadelphia (US), and Toronto (Canada). In a sample of 764 juvenile detainees, 60% overall reported predetention involvement in selling drugs, but this varied by site: 35% in Amsterdam, 61% in Philadelphia, 68% in Montreal, and 77% in Toronto. Typically, respondents were mostly selling drugs to friends and acquaintances. Cluster analysis revealed that teen drug sellers in our sample, despite the fact that many of them are involved in the sale of a variety of drugs, tend to specialize into three types of segregated markets: cannabis sellers, party drug sellers, and street drug sellers. Cannabis sellers are predominantly involved in selling marihuana and/or hashish, have relatively low transactions and sales, and violence is less common. Party drug sellers are distinguished by selling substances like ecstasy, powder cocaine, and amphetamines, and have high rates of violence. Street drug sellers' specialties are crack and heroin, and violence though common, is less prevalent than among the party drug sellers. These three types were found in all sites in our study, but were not equally prevalent across sites.