Toulouse: “Drug trafficking is a bit of a social lift” according to sociologist Dominique Duprez
Sociologist Dominique Duprez, research director at CNRS, specializes in issues related to drug trafficking paints the portrait of little hands. Maintenance.
How do you explain that young people are moving towards drug trafficking?
Three dimensions explain it. The economic, socialization dimensions and those of the future. It is clear that young people who are often without money cannot afford the latest pair of Nike. They often come from families in difficulty. In search of resources, the deal offers an element of economic stability. And do not believe that mothers warn of the activities of their children. Quite often they don’t know. Then, the trafficking of illicit drugs (unlike alcohol and tobacco, which is more harmful than cannabis) makes it possible to acquire a social status within the framework of the neighborhood. Thanks to the income, the dealers have access to the same activities as the children of the better-off classes. An American sociologist, Ph. Bourgois, speaks of the “search for self-esteem”. The money generated from the sale of drugs also makes it possible to render services to friends and neighbors, and thus to gain social recognition. Finally, traffic offers a way to plan for the future. The majority of dealers do not see themselves continuing in the business. So they capitalize a minimum to be able to retrain and open a business. It is a bit of a “social elevator”, even if it is paradoxical to use that term.
Can lack of access to employment also be a factor?
We have to be realistic, there is discrimination in access to work, but most of these young people refuse certain types of jobs. Especially manual work. We often hear “everything except my father’s job”. So it is not simply the fault of a lack of jobs, we can see that certain sectors are currently lacking in manpower. For some of them, they have studied and have a certain cultural background. It takes “chat” to sell to customers who often come from wealthy backgrounds.
Are you seeing younger and younger dealers?
No, it’s in the collective imagination. Young people are admitted into the traffic as lookouts, but they are not drug dealers. They play an anecdotal role. The majority of the customers of the points of deal are at least major. It seems inconceivable that she finds herself facing young people of 12 or 13 years old, the dealers are, in general, of the same age group, and often a little older.