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There exists an extensive theoretical discourse regarding Social Disorganization Theory about the presence or lack of social control in marginalized poor communities. Mexico City’s colonias populares, or informal housing settlements, are an important case in point given the chaotic, ungovernable, social disorder that is perceived by outsiders. In the present ethnographic study, we applied Suttles’ (1968) concept of social order with the intention to identify and understand the social processes by which relationships between criminal networks and conventional residents contribute to a cohesive community social structure. Using interview and observational data collected throughout five years, the findings support a social system defined by an ordered segmentation that facilitates inclusion and social solidarity among diverse residents. Through commercial, recreational, and religious celebrations, a practical morality emerged that governed social interactions among residents in this impoverished neighborhood at the periphery of society. Practical morality is exemplified by the relationships within a community connected by neighborhood-based networks, rather than formal institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent studies in Mexico have documented a significant increase in crack cocaine use, indicating the potential for an emerging drug epidemic. Methods Ethnographic observations and interviews were used describe the profiles and patterns of use among street-recruited crack users in Mexico City. The data came from an international research collaboration funded by the National Institutes of Health. Results A polythetic typology was developed based on five dimensions central to categorizing patterns of crack use behavior: frequency of use, duration of use, context, social networks, and social contracts. Four types of users were discovered applying these dimensions: dabblers, stable users, crack heads, and old heads. Although several similarities were documented between patterns of crack use in Mexico and those in the United States and Western Europe, several key aspects distinguished crack users in this population: (1) self-regulated use; (2) non-linear progression of crack; and (3) the influence of the dimensions pertaining to setting, social networks, and social contract as contributing to understanding of the previous two. Further, we provide a discussion of how specific contextual factors in Mexico may be giving rise to these emerging patterns. Conclusion Compared to the U.S. and Europe, this study finds that the majority of crack users were able to self-regulate their use without major disruption to daily social functioning. As crack use spreads in Mexico and other Latin American countries, we need to recognize the importance of social context in developing more tailored health and social responses that are specific to these developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]