“The Game Ain’t What It Used to Be”: Drug Sellers’ Perceptions of the Modern Day Underground and Legal Markets

Abstract

This study draws on interviews with 20 drug sellers in Philadelphia to explore their subjective perceptions of risk and reward within the modern context of increased police scrutiny and few illegal or legal opportunities for social mobility. Most respondents earned little, viewed drug sales negatively, and perceived the next generation of drug sellers to be unpredictable and prone to risk. They sought exit opportunities, associating continued participation in drug sales with childhood and wishing to participate more fully in the mainstream economy. Half of the sample worked in legal employment, and many argued that this was both necessary and beneficial to reducing risk. The findings suggest that traditional theories explaining participation in drug sales may need to be re-examined in light of changes in the landscape of the drug economy. Moreover, they may provide context to understanding why deterrence-based policies have generally failed to disrupt drug markets.