After an overview of his life and career prior to his arrival at the New York Times, Peter Kerr reflects on his writing on the "crack epidemic" of 1985 and 1986 in New York City, which was a key moment in his career. He discusses both his own process in as a journalist-how he found stories and which sources he trusted-and his journalism's motivations and social impact. He describes his perspective on Phoenix House as an outsider using it as an expert source on drug matters. He also discusses his later employment there, which ended after two years of struggling to find a vital and new brand for Phoenix House. The interview closes with Kerr's thoughts on the challenges Phoenix House faces at the time of the interview, the routes it has not taken, and a larger reflection on change and continuity in New York City
Journalists; Therapeutic communities; Substance abuse--Treatment; Drug addicts--Rehabilitation--United States; New York (N.Y.); Kerr, Peter, 1956; Phoenix House (Organization); New York Times Company
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2014
Physical Description
48 pages
Note (Biographical)
Peter Kerr was a New York Times reporter who covered the "drug beat" in the 1980s. Later, he was Vice President of Public Affairs at Phoenix House
Note
Interviewed by Cameron Vanderscoff on November 24, 2014
Note (Provenance)
Peter Kerr, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2016