Drug Prosecution and Prevention Across the Nation: Prosecutors' Perceptions of Drug-Related Crime and Strategies to Combat the Problem in Their Communities

• NCJ Number: 218630
• Author(s): Patricia L. Fanflik; Nicole E. Johnson; David R. Troutman; Frank C. Skinner
• Date Published: October 2006
• Length: 28 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2004-GP-CX-0589
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Corporate Author: National District Attorneys Assoc
• Sale Source: National District Attorneys Assoc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report presents results of a national survey of prosecutors assessing their current efforts in implementing and operating innovative drug-related crime prevention, intervention, and prosecution programs.

Abstract

Results of the survey indicated that the majority of participants perceived the drug and drug-related crime problem in their community to be an extremely serious problem. The majority (64.8 percent) also believed the drug problem in their jurisdiction had worsened over the last 5 years, while 28.1 percent reported their drug-related crime problem had remained stable. Only 7.1 percent reported the drug-related crime problem in their community had improved. The most commonly reported drugs surfacing in communities were marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, prescription drugs, heroin, and ecstasy. There was some variation by jurisdiction size, with smaller jurisdictions most likely to experience problems with marijuana and larger jurisdictions most likely to experience problems with cocaine. In terms of community impact, 64 percent of prosecutors reported that methamphetamine had an extremely negative impact on public safety whereas marijuana and cocaine were seen as having only a moderate impact on the public safety. Variations were also observed by region, with the West, Midwest, and South reporting significant problems with methamphetamine and the Northeast reporting only small problems with methamphetamine. The most commonly reported prevention and treatment efforts of prosecutors were: (1) Drug Court; (2) more restorative and community-type prosecutions; (3) increased prosecution for drug-related crimes; (4) increased use of Asset Forfeiture; and (5) greater collaboration with other agencies. Mailed surveys were completed by 563 local and State prosecutors’ offices throughout the Nation. The survey focused on prosecutions’ perceptions of the scope of the drug problem in their jurisdictions and asked about any programs their office had actively undertaken to combat the drug problem. Prosecutors were asked to provide a detailed description of their programs and were asked to submit any written materials, such as brochures. Exhibits, references, appendix