Pubdate: Thu, 23 Apr 2009
Source: East Carolinian (NC Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The East Carolinian
Contact:  http://www.theeastcarolinian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/774
Author: Sistine Burgess
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)

STUDY CHALLENGES PUBLIC'S PERCEPTIONS OF DRUG DEALERS

Research conducted by an ECU professor and a Ph.D. student finds 
strong evidence that there is no relationship between race and 
instances of drug dealing in urban youth.

Marieke Van Willigen, an associate professor of sociology at ECU, and 
David Craig, MA, co-wrote the study, "What We Think We Know About 
Metropolitan Drug Dealing But Don't."

The study found that African-American males between the ages of 14 
and 17 are no more likely to become drug dealers than white males of 
the same age.

In the introduction of the study, Craig suggests that the terms used 
in media reporting and research lead the public to believe that drug 
dealers are usually black. The study was conducted in order to prove 
or disprove this assertion.

"It's not just the media, it's researchers that promote the 
stereotype of drug dealing among young black men," Van Willigen 
explains. "But when you look at their research, their methodology is terrible."

Van Willigen claims that because studies based on drugs are usually 
conducted in low socioeconomic areas that are predominately black, 
the data becomes misleading.

Another finding of the study showed that young African-American males 
rated education of a higher importance than young, white males. They 
also had higher rates of a parent checking their homework, limiting 
time allowances with friends and higher overall religiosity.

The study by Van Willigen and Craig finds that these higher rates 
help prevent more African-Americans from becoming drug dealers.

However, once the ages of those included in the analysis changed from 
14 through 17 to 18 through 25, the instances of drug dealing did 
increase among African-Americans versus whites.

"There's one factor that increases the chance of drug dealing, and 
that's drop-out rates," Van Willigen said. "If we can keep these kids 
in school, then the race difference in young adults will completely go away."

The data used to write the study consisted of 4,332 young males ages 
14 to 17 and was obtained from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use 
and Health, an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Service Administration. This data is collected by the 
Research Triangle Institute.

Craig was inspired to do research on the topic of young 
African-Americans and drug dealing based on his adolescence. While 
growing up in Goldsboro with a single mother, Craig became involved 
with gangs in high school. According to Van Willigen, he realized he 
was in trouble and joined the military to escape. After returning 
from the first Iraq war, he graduated from a community college and 
came to ECU for graduate school. "He used education to better 
himself," Van Willigen said. "There were times when he would burst 
out crying because he's actually gotten so far."

The study needs some revisions, after which Van Willigen and Craig 
hope it will be published in sociological journals.
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