NCJ Number
117198
Date Published
1988
Length
125 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the extent of the drug problem in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and examined how the community has responded through enforcement, treatment, and prevention programs, drawing upon information from the local jurisdictions that compose the area.
Abstract
In the Washington metropolitan area, concern about the drug abuse problem has recently been heightened by the development of highly visible street drug markets and a rapid escalation in the level of violence associated with them, as well as by data showing that an extraordinarily high percentage of those arrested in the District of Columbia test positive for hard drugs. By several indicators, Washington's drug problems are severe compared with those of other metropolitan areas, and these indicators are rising rapidly despite an intense and sustained enforcement crackdown. Demand for treatment services has increased sharply, and the public treatment system is currently operating at full capacity with growing waiting lists. Although prevention is the best prospect for long-term reduction in drug use, it is underemphasized and receives but a small share of the local drug policy budget. Regarding enforcement, the study recommends the maximum disruption of the lives of street sellers and their customers through 'sweeps' and arrests for small sales and possession. Other recommendations are to improve coordination among programs and jurisdictions; to expand and restructure prevention programs; to increase PCP treatment research and funding; and to expand the treatment system, particularly methadone maintenance. Appendixes discuss the varieties of drugs and their effects and program timing, teacher preparation, and extracurricular activities in school-based prevention programs. 93 references, 10 figures, 24 tables.