IndexEthnographic method used in the textGlimpse of how people adapt to their life circumstancesConclusionIn his ethnographic study of a heroin dealing network in Denver, Colorado, in a community of homelessness, Lee Hoffer details how this community lives and how dealers run their illegal drug businesses. Hoffer focuses on the daily lifestyle of two heroin dealers, Kurt and Danny, living with them and understanding the operations from their point of view. In this essay, the article identifies and discusses the work of Lee Hoffer and the methods he uses to achieve the objectives of the study. Furthermore, the ethnographic method used in the text is discussed and how the book offers a glimpse into how people adapt to life circumstances. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Author's work and methods used to achieve objectives. Junkie Business: The Evolution and Operation of a Heroin Dealing Network is written by Lee D. Hoffer as an ethnography detailing how a drug network flourishes among the homeless of a Denver community, Larimer. Hoffer attempts to show how addictive heroin is sold and purchased in this area between 1995 and 2000 (Hoffer, 2006: 19). In much of the text, Hoffer focuses on the collaboration of two heroin dealers who started out as drug addicts before becoming drug dealers (Bobashey & Morris, 2009: 273). The author examines the daily activities of the two partners to understand the drug network. The researcher covers the period before major dealers began selling heroin and documents how their operations went from a loose-knit street-based partnership to a nascent private gangland business with a well-organized division of labor. Furthermore, Hoffer attempts to demonstrate how the business transformed the lives of drug dealers and the scale and resilience of the shadow economy associated with heroin distribution. Through cultural observation, Hoffer demonstrates that daily use of the drug is necessary to maintain a heroin addiction. From a broader perspective, Hoffer attempts to show the heroin dealing that occurs in the consumer-oriented aspect of the drug business and understand how it transforms Kurt and Danny's operations. As a result, Hoffer was able to gain a better understanding of the deeply rooted social aspects that govern retailer-customer relationships and the level of organization involved in these relationships. Hoffer achieves his goals in the ethnographic study by building relationships and living with the two retailers; Kurt and Danny. By living with them and becoming one of their employees, Hoffer gains a better ethnographic understanding of operations that also involve police and other drug dealers. Through these activities, Hoffer demonstrates that he was able to understand the operations of drug dealers, especially during the time when the police and community were cracking down and cleaning up widespread heroin use in the Larimer area of ​​Denver, Colorado (Hoffer et al., 2009: 274). Detailing the difficult backgrounds of the two dealers, the author demonstrates that their ultimate success in heroin dealing depended on creating codes and rules for how to engage their addictive daily customers. Hoffer understands the motivation behind their decision to sell heroin and the critical aspects of their operations from a personal perspective as he has developed a personal relationship with both dealers and not just as a researcher. He lived as their confidant andincluding the “common code of conduct” among users which was based on the principle of reciprocity (Hoffer, 2006: 19). For example, when the cleanup began, drug dealers had to modify their operations due to increased police presence and sweeping changes initiated by the homeless community. Indeed these changes led to the disappearance of the homeless community, while the operations of dealers also changed as they could only buy drugs from other addicts (Hoffer, 2006: 25). These dealers also gained contacts and were trusted by immigrant dealers. It is imperative that the author is able to achieve his study goals while living and befriending drug dealers and the homeless community. Ethnographic method used in the text Ethnographers in anthropology use agent-based cultural models to collect data and information during their studies in communities to illustrate their findings. These models offer community researchers a unique analytical tool that assumes a holistic approach in understanding what these communities are, their individuals and how they function or carry out their socio-cultural, political and economic activities. According to Zachary Neal and Jennifer Lawlor (2016), agent-based models are a particular form of scientific methods that ethnographers use to gather information from communities. The authors state that agent-based models are used as simulation approaches for the behaviors of agents, in this case people. Researchers using this model interact with agents in particular contexts to develop an understanding of how these people's behaviors and how characteristics of their context can be interpreted from a social perspective (Jason & Glenwick, 2016)). As used by Michael Robbins and colleagues in Uganda in studying acculturation and modernization among the country's local communities, this ethnographic method relies on two types of ethnographic informants; key and specialized informants where key informants possess a lot of knowledge about their culture and are willing to share this knowledge (Robbins et al., 1969). For their part, specialized informants possess a certain expertise in some cultural areas. Hoffer used Kurt and Danny as both key informants and specialized informants because they understood the culture of the homeless community, the culture of drug users, and the culture of drug dealers and the law. enforcement agents, particularly those engaged in the “War on Drugs” (Hoffer, 2006: 10). Using this approach in anthropology, Hoffer debunks myths about drug dealing networks as chaotic, violent, and disorganized. What he realizes is that these networks are well organized with established codes of conduct and not as portrayed by the media or law enforcement. Indeed, Hoffer's findings are consistent with what Manni Finkelstein demonstrates in his book; No direction home: Homeless youth on the road and on the streets, that homeless people, especially young people, have different lifestyles to cope with their street conditions. Through an ethnographic approach, Manni studied this highly transient demographic and accurately portrayed their lifestyle by living among them and observing them on a daily basis (Finkelstein, 2005). Crucially, these studies demonstrate that agent-based ethnographic approaches in anthropology offer researchers in-depth information to understand cultural aspects and reach conclusions to inform decision makers on how to address such challenges. More importantly, ethnographic methods attempt to dispel existing myths in such populations or.