A successful female crack dealer: Case study of a deviant career

Abstract

This paper traces the career of a successful female crack dealer in Harlem. “Rachel” is a deviant among deviants: a female in a male‐dominated profession who caters to the “hidden” crack user rather than the stereotypical addict, uses techniques common among middle‐class dealers rather than those more typical of her inner‐city location, and is herself a crack addict who manages to avoid both arrest and dereliction. The paper describes how Rachel's career evolved around shifts in the drug market, from marijuana to cocaine to crack; illuminates an unknown side of the drug economy—the world of the older, better educated, middle class drug user; reveals how gender affects drug distribution in a profession dominated by males; and examines how those involved in deviant careers cope with social opprobrium and attempt to justify their activities. Rachel's relative success in her profession is attributed to a unique combination of historical contingencies, personal qualities, and career choices.