, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, there's a chapter entitled "Drug Dealers Living With Their Moms." The authors discuss University of Chicago Phd sociology student Sudhir Venkatesh, who embedded himself in the Black Disciples street gang for six years.
Venkatesh uncovered a lot of unique insight into the workings of a street gang. His most surprising revelation was that the assumption that drug dealers were making a great deal of money were simply false.
The front line sales force of the Disciples, the foot soldiers, Venkatesh and Freakanomics co-author Levitt learned, made about $3.30 an hour.
So that's why they lived with their moms. Of course the top guys did much better, but there aren't that many top guys--just like any major corporation--in a street gang.
According to today's Chicago Sun-Times, the last of the 43 members of the Black Disciples charged in a federal conspiracy investigation mentioned in Freakanomics, was found guilty of drug charges and shooting an undercover police officer.
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