NCJ Number
215556
Date Published
August 2006
Length
78 pages
Annotation
This guide addresses the national problem of clandestine methamphetamine labs, as well as responses to the problem of clandestine methamphetamine labs.
Abstract
United States State and local police report that methamphetamine trafficking and abuse has become their most pressing illegal drug problem in recent years, surpassing crack cocaine. Although offenders manufacture a variety of illicit drugs in clandestine labs, methamphetamine accounts for 80 to 90 percent of the clandestine labs total drug production. In order to respond to the problem of clandestine methamphetamine labs, local governments must understand and analyze their particular problem carefully in order to design a more effective response strategy. By understanding and analyzing the local problem, governments should have a better understanding of the factors contributing to it. After the analysis, local governments should be able to establish a baseline for measuring effectiveness and consider possible responses to address the problem. This guide provides a general overview of the problem and of responses to it. It begins by describing the problem and reviewing factors that increase the risks of it. It identifies a series of questions to help local governments analyze their local problem and concludes with a review of responses to the problem and what is known about them from evaluative research and practice. Response strategies provide a foundation of ideas for addressing the problem. It is critical that responses be tailored to local circumstances and that each response is justified based on reliable analysis. Appendix and references