Relative Deviance and the Process(es) of Drug Involvement among Inner-City Youths

This paper reviews critically research that has examined the relationship of psychological and sociocultural factors to nonmedical drug use among youths and young adults. Developing from this review, a theoretical framework and specific hypotheses are formulated to highlight the differential effects of these two sets of variables on the drug use of inner-city youths. The paper concludes with a discussion of the scientific, and treatment and prevention, implications of the model.