NCJ Number
184708
Date Published
2000
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses how the author gained access to the world of drug dealers and smugglers, established research relationships with members, and became personally involved in their activities.
Abstract
One of the author's neighbors was a member of a drug smuggling crew that was importing a ton of marijuana weekly and 40 kilos of cocaine every few months. The author observed the neighbor (Dave) at work and also got to know the other members of his crew, including Ben, the smuggler himself. She also developed friendships with Dave's ex-wife (Jean) and a number of women who hung around the dealers and smugglers. As she continued to gain the friendship of Dave and Jean, the author was progressively admitted into their inner circle and apprised of each person's dealing or smuggling role. They, along with their friends, reciprocated in the friendship by agreeing to advance the author's and her husband's professional research careers. Dave and the other members of the crew became key informants, as the researchers conducted a series of taped interviews with an unstructured, open-ended format. The dealers and smugglers were questioned on their backgrounds, their recruitment into the occupation, the stages of their dealing careers, their relations with others, their motivations, their lifestyle, and their general impressions about the community as a whole. Interviews continued for 6 years, until the researchers moved away from the area. Occasional follow-up interviews were conducted after this move. This paper discusses the researcher's covert role, the development of trust, the researcher's overt role, cross-checking, and problems and issues in using this research method. 8 notes, and 31 references