Particularly as it relates to imprisonment (meaning 'rural' dealers are less likely to be caught and imprisoned) - the average drug dealer in prison likely got into it out of necessity in one form or another.
In urban environments, drug dealers are more plentiful, work on slimmer margins and operate in a riskier environment. In more cases than not, the drug dealers that are dealing with enough volume to catch prison time are those attached to gangs, or out of necessity to stay above the poverty line.
The picture painted in the article, at least to me, is perhaps the most likely way for middle class white kids to end up in prison for drug dealing, but most drug sentences serious enough to involve prisons don't go to middle class white kids, they go to urban blacks.
This isn't to say that the numbers are right, or fair, or necessarily representative of how the real world works -- but if we're talking about people in prison, this is more likely.
It's the way I started dealing. And the way many others I know (both in prison and out) did too. And I'm certainly not middle-class.
I think pleading "necessity" sounds like excusing the actions. It's very very rarely neccesary to have to deal drugs or similar to stay above the poverty line. Especially here in the UK where unemployment benefits are fairly generous. Unless not having the latest pair of Nike Air Max equates to poverty.
I don't doubt that there are people who start dealing in exactly that fashion, I just don't think it's the most common way. Looking back at the article however, I see you said 'many' and I probably read it as 'most', so we're probably both right.
As for my use of necessity, I certainly don't mean to excuse their actions -- perhaps 'believed necessity' would be more appropriate.
Last thing, I was also speaking specifically to what I know of American drug dealing, and I have absolutely zero knowledge of how well that information travels overseas.
Thank you and have an upvote. I do not know who is "right" but you certainly supported your position. I am in no position to argue it, but then that wasn't my intent anyway as I hate arguing. But I appreciate learning something new.
In urban environments, drug dealers are more plentiful, work on slimmer margins and operate in a riskier environment. In more cases than not, the drug dealers that are dealing with enough volume to catch prison time are those attached to gangs, or out of necessity to stay above the poverty line.
The picture painted in the article, at least to me, is perhaps the most likely way for middle class white kids to end up in prison for drug dealing, but most drug sentences serious enough to involve prisons don't go to middle class white kids, they go to urban blacks.
This isn't to say that the numbers are right, or fair, or necessarily representative of how the real world works -- but if we're talking about people in prison, this is more likely.
Most of what I said speaks in anecdotal language, but here are some numbers to back me up: http://www.jrsa.org/ibrrc/using-data/data_quality/data_eleme...