CRIMINAL JUSTICE/DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM INTERFACE CONFERENCE - THE ST LOUIS (MO) MODEL (FROM CRITICAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, INC, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 54355
• Author(s): H W FELDMAN; G FRIESEN; G J YAFFE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK (NY), 1976

Annotation

THE ST. LOUIS PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING A STRUCTURE FOR INTERFACE BETWEEN THE PERSONNEL OF THE DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT SYSTEM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

ON JULY 18 AND 19, 1974, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAJOR DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA MET WITH KEY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO CONVERSE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER'S OPERATIONS VIS-A-VIS DRUG ABUSE. FROM THIS MEETING, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WERE INSTIGATED: (1) IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL ACTIVITIES, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE LINE-WORKERS FROM BOTH SYSTEMS COOPERATIVELY DEFINING PROCEDURES NEEDED TO INSURE INTERSYSTEM COORDINATION; (2) POLICY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE AGENCY CHIEFS DEVELOPING POLICY GUIDELINES WHICH WOULD REFLECT THE PROCEDURES DESCRIBED BY THE LINE-WORKERS; AND (3) POLICYMAKING, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE THE MAJOR GOVERNMENTAL UNITS IN ADOPTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE POLICIES DEVELOPED. THE SPECIFIC STEPS INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING EACH OF THESE THREE ACTIVITIES ARE DISCUSSED. THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE FOR INTERFACE BETWEEN THE DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT COMMUNITY AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: A SET OF WRITTEN MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHICH COVERS CURRENT AND POTENTIAL AREAS OF CONFLICT, A PERMANENT STRUCTURE FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS EITHER NOT COVERED OR NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLARIFIED BY EXISTING MEMORANDUMS, A MECHANISM FOR DEVELOPING AND REFINING MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING AS THE NEED ARISES; AND A STRUCTURE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS WHICH MAINTAINS RESPECT FOR THE WORK DONE BY EACH SYSTEM WITHOUT BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES OF EITHER. (RCB)