The Experiences of Women Who Sell Crack: Some Descriptive Data from the Detroit Crack Ethnography Project

Abstract

The author examines the role of women in various crack sales venues. He reports basic sociodemographic data on women crack sellers derived from a convenience sample obtained in Detroit, Michigan. He also reports various descriptive experiences of these women and develops a series of role typologies that characterize the various experiences of the subjects. The article also describes a variety of role type transitions experienced over time by the subjects. Finally, he examines various coping strategies employed by the subjects in dealing with the challenges and dangers that are an aspect of drug selling, and contrasts these strategies with male crack sellers.