NCJ Number
201226
Date Published
July 2003
Length
112 pages
Annotation
This report is an evaluation of the multijurisdictional task forces (MJTFs) involved in drug law enforcement in California under funds awarded through the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant Program (Byrne).
Abstract
The MJTFs integrate Federal, State, and/or local drug law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for the purpose of enhancing interagency coordination, intelligence sharing, and multijurisdictional drug investigations. This evaluation focused on 59 MJTFs that represented 57 California counties. The evaluation used both quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the MJTFs over three fiscal years: 1999-2000, 2000-2001, and 2001-2002. This evaluation report encompasses the first and second phases of the three-phase evaluation. The first two phases involved analyses of final progress reports submitted to the Office of Criminal Justice Planning and five focus group meetings with task force commanders throughout the State. The third phase of the data-collection process, onsite interviews with selected task forces, has not yet been completed. The five issues addressed in the first two phases of the project were whether the grant objectives were achieved, whether the program elements worked, whether the grant funds were spent efficiently, whether the targeted problem was addressed, and the lessons for other agencies. The evaluation found that over the 3-year evaluation period, the MJTFs did successfully coordinate efforts to reduce the illegal activities of serious and/or violent offenders and drug traffickers. The task forces incorporated the "best practices" that included vertical prosecution, prosecutorial involvement in the review of search and arrest warrants, intensive probation supervision, administrative leadership, co-location of task force members, drug buys, jointly investigated cases, aggressive asset forfeiture investigations, and joint training sessions. Funds were spent efficiently in that the task forces focused their activities on the highest priority drug enforcement problem in each of their jurisdictions. Regarding lessons learned to benefit other agencies, this report advises that jurisdictions that are initiating and/or evaluating efforts to enforce drug laws and counter violent crime should establish teams that include personnel from law enforcement, prosecution, probation, and social and health service agencies. Further, these collaborative efforts must address the potential problem of staff turnover and insufficient numbers of interested and qualified personnel related to staff shortages within the member agencies. Joint training is vital and should be conducted regularly. 10 tables and appended data and information on Byrne program purpose areas, task force program characteristics, coding instructions for the data entry form, and consensus on critical elements for task force success