Sawbuck has been involved in several different audio documentary projects, mainly for public radio. Recently Greg Scott entered into collaboration with Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ 91.5 FM) as a regular contributor. Through this collaboration Greg will be producing and directing stories on Chicago's "criminal underground," focusing on drug use, drug sales, addiction and recovery, gang activity, violence, prostitution, gambling, policing, and also community capacity building programs.
In this first story of a two-part series, we look at perhaps the most dangerous situation a drug user might face: the overdose. We come to understand how heroin addicts' seeking out of high potency, potentially lethal heroin isn't "insane" or "crazy" but rather makes sense in light of the disease of addiction. By understanding how heroin overdose works and how it generates profit increases for drug crews, we can ascertain some of the fundamental dynamics of heroin addiction. A warning to our listeners: this story contains candid descriptions of heroin use, and audio from an actual overdose Scott witnessed while working a documentary film.
In the second part of this two-part series, we’ll report on the drug that can save a junkie’s life. Bring out the Narcan!
In April 2008 I appeared on the Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ 91.5) program "Eight Forty-Eight" to talk about gangs and violence in Chicago. Click on the link to the left to hear the interview.
This interview generated a fair amount of controversy, as evidenced by the contents of the program's discussion board and the comments on Uptown Update, a community chat room for residents of the Chicago north side neighborhood.
Soon after appearing on this program I began discussing with 848 executive management the prospect of becoming a regular contributor of audio documentaries on subjects ranging from gangs to drugs to prostitution to violence to police corruption. We swiftly negotiated an arrangement whereby I will work as a "freelance staff field journalist."