The Chola life course: Chicana heroin users and the barrio Gang.
The theoretical argument of the paper is as follows: Traditional values may deter many Latinas from drug use, but they operate to ostracize adolescent girls from cholo (street) families. Those girls may be propelled into drug-using youth gangs or similar peer groups, where they are further channeled to the more deviant subcliques. This pivotal experience initiates a drug-oriented adult lifestyle. Gender norms mean that the typical male career path to and from the gang is different. Data bearing on this argument are presented, and research and intervention implications are explored.
Moore
J
J
Sociology Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 53201.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010379:Peer Group; D010553:Personality Development; D012925:Social Conformity; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012931:Social Environment; D012945:Social Values; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data