Foot Soldiers Research Paper

Officers earn around $1000 per month, which is relatively consistent, except for reduced wages during times of gang wars. Being an officer is similar to a full-time job, they are unable to be also be employed by the legitimate sector, and the standard of living for these jobs is slightly higher than a full-time minimum wage job. The foot soldiers receive a flat wage, their earnings are not directly linked to the volume of their sales but the number of shifts they work and their position within the drug selling team. These wages are very low, around $200 a month, or less until the final year of the study. Based on these estimates, the wages of a foot soldiers are well below the federal minimum wage. However, foot soldiers are also able to be employed by the legitimate sector, and most (around 75-80%) work part-time in low paying jobs typically at fast food restaurants, performing physical labor, or working in small businesses. Overall, these gang members are not well off financially, most live with families or roommates because they cannot afford to live on their own. …show more content…
The most reasonable way to view the economic aspects of the decision to join a gang is for the possibility of rising up in the ranks and eventually making solid wages. However, only a small fraction of these members will achieve the level of gang members who make good money due to the risks and the possibility of incarceration or death. This thought process can be described by a quote from a foot soldier. “You think I wanta be selling drugs on the street my whole life? No way. But I know these n------ (above me) are making more money, and it’s like, people don’t last long doing this s---. So you know, I figure I got a chance to move up. But if not, s---, I get me a job doin’ something else.” (Levitt, Sudhir,