Book Review

Running the Risks: Heroin, Health and Harm in South West Sydney

by Lisa Maher, David Dixon, Michael Lynskey and Wayne Hall

Definition: Ethnography is the use of direct observation and extended fieldwork to provide a `thick description' of groups or cultures.

ref: March 99 heroInsight

As an ethnographic tabulation of drug use and crime in South West Sydney, Running the Risks is a valuable contribution to our overall understanding of the heroin drug scene in Sydney. The sample of 202 respondents was drawn from Cabramatta, the acknowledged `heroin capital' of Australia. Through facts, figures, anecdotes, quotes and observations, a picture of the Cabramatta drug sub-culture emerges very differently from that portrayed by the media. In a non-judgemental presentation, one is initiated into the feelings and attitudes accompanying facts and figures.

Every aspect of the lifestyle of the sample group is covered:

• measures and prices of heroin
• methods of acquisition
• methods of use
• risk taking behaviour
• diseases
• sources of income
• heroin networks at street level
• ethnicity
• crime
• police presence and intervention.

The blend of data, statistics and personal accounts from the respondents builds a profile of a marginalised sub-culture. This book is particular relevant in light of the new policies on the need exchange program and the law and order circus:

• difficulties involved obtaining clean equipment
• threat of police presence fuelling risky behaviour
• misconceptions through lack of education
• suspicion of authority
• current NSW police concentration on law enforcement as opposed to order maintenance resulting in a number of negative consequences such as criminal charges being laid rather than discretionary powers being exercised.

Reading Running the Risks broadened my own experience and taught me aspects of heroin addiction I had not previously contemplated.

The authors, researchers, NDARC and all who contributed to this treatise are to be congratulated for very fine fieldwork being made so accessible to anyone interested in educating themselves with facts, tables and respondent commentary.

Also of note: The degree of trust obviously instigated by the fieldworkers is highly commendable.