Con Men: Professional Crews of Card and Dice Hustlers (From Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction, P 401-413, 1994, Patricia A and Peter Adler, eds. -- See NCJ-151012)

• NCJ Number: 151026
• Author(s): R Prus; C R D Sharper
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Wadsworth Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Reprinted from "Road Hustler" (New York: Kaufman and Greenberg Publishers, 1991)

Annotation

Professional card and dice hustlers have several qualities that distinguish them from other card and dice hustlers.

Abstract

Hustling is a full-time career for professional card and dice hustlers, they acquire specialized skills through association with other hustlers, they have the ability to maximize profits in highly problematic situations, and they are mobile and well-connected. Professional card and dice hustlers often belong to crews that consist of three to four members. While a given crew member may assume multiple roles, three game roles and two nongame roles define crew structure. Game roles include the "mechanic," the "shoot-up" (public relations) man, and the "muscle" man. Nongame crew roles involve "contacts" and the "boss." Defining their activities in a profit context and attempting to reduce physical and legal risks, crew members hold their partners in high esteem. An effort is made by crew members to maintain a calm temperament under game pressure, and crew members strive to be compatible. Knowledge of the structure and operating concerns of crews is essential to understanding professional card and dice hustling. 1 reference