The Structure of Heroin Communities (in Relation to Methadone Maintenance)

Abstract

The sociocultural structure of contemporary urban heroin-using communities is delineated using the dimensions “being hooked,” “scoring,” and “hustling” on “the street.” A concentric ring model is constructed with four rings: (innermost) the street dealing network, other criminal hustles, employed addicts, and a peripheral “recruitment” area (outermost). The model is used to define differential intentions toward and responses to methadone maintenance treatment among members of the heroin community.