The crack epidemic refers to a six year period between 1984 and 1990 in the United States during which there was a huge surge in the use of crack cocaine in major cities, and crack-houses all over the USA. Fallout from the crack epidemic included a huge surge in addiction, homelessness, murder, theft, robbery, and long-term imprisonment. The first effects of the epidemic started in the early 1980s, but the DEA officially classifies the time of the epidemic starting in 1984 and ending in 1990, in what can be considered to be the height of the epidemic.

Rather than the drug use itself, the greatest social costs of crack were associated with prohibition-related violence. Research by two prominent economists from the University of Chicago, Steven Levitt (co-author of Freakonomics and winner of the 2003 John Bates Clark Medal) and Kevin Murphy (winner of the 1997 John Bates Clark Medal) suggest that crack was the most prominent factor contributing to the rise and fall of social ills in the African American and Latino communities between 1980 and 2000.

The Kerry Committee report was an investigation by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding charges of Contra involvement in cocaine and marijuana trafficking. Lasting two and a half years, the Subcommittee released their final report on April 13, 1989. They found that "it is clear that individuals who provided support for the Contras were involved in drug trafficking... and elements of the Contras themselves knowingly received financial and material assistance from drug traffickers."

Steven D. Levitt & JJ Donahue, as recounted in the book Freakonomics, hypothesised that the reason behind the sudden drop in crime in the early 1990s was due to the Roe v. Wade outcome in 1973 and the subsequent legalization of abortions. The poor and young women who did not want their babies were allowed to have abortions and thus stopped the birth of a generation of socioeconomically disadvantaged children being born into a life more inclined towards crime. The end of the crack epidemic in 1990 coincides with the time when all those born after the Roe v. Wade outcome would have been in their late teens, a time when young men enter their criminal prime.

"Between 1984 and 1994, the homicide rate for black males aged 14 to 17 more than doubled, and the homicide rate for black males aged 18 to 24 increased nearly as much. During this period, the black community also experienced an increase in fetal death rates, low birth-weight babies, weapons arrests, and the number of children in foster care."

what's the crack epidemic? when did it happen? how can i read more about it? any suggestions, g_v? do many people do crack anymore, matt? any good web sites on this?

what's the crack epidemic? when did it happen? how can i read more about it? any suggestions, g_v? do many people do crack anymore, matt? any good web sites on this?

Another soon-to-be forgotten aspect of American history:

what's the crack epidemic? when did it happen? how can i read more about it? any suggestions, g_v? do many people do crack anymore, matt? any good web sites on this?