Between 1986 and 1990, the news media in New York City constructed a compelling picture of a reality in which drug- related violence was spreading and becoming random in its selection of victims. In addition, the news media encouraged a belief in the growing vulnerability of white, middle-class people. The reactionary agenda toward drug users and drug traffickers resulted from a constellation of forces. Liberal government officials reacted to a perceived drug crisis by calling for a variety of programs. The news media, pursuing a sensational story that would sell the news and not contradict the policies of government officials on whom they depended for information, mobilized the white middle-class with an emphasis on the theme of random drug violence. Faced with an alarmed voting public calling for law and order, government officials promoted a drug scare that would permit spending on law enforcement programs during a time of fiscal crisis and overcrowded prisons. The drug scare associated with crack allowed the development of a conservative agenda in a liberal political environment. The author suggests that social scientists should play a more active role in influencing the news media and government policies. 63 references