NCJ Number
165278
Date Published
1993
Length
62 pages
Annotation
Mississippi's multijurisdictional drug tasks forces were evaluated using several performance measures: residents' assessments, objective progress data, and task force officers' assessments.
Abstract
Results revealed that Mississippi residents in most task force areas believe that a good chance exists that drug dealers will be arrested and that the police are adequately protecting their communities. Data on arrests, charges, and prosecutions are inclusive due to the lack of timely and accurate data reporting. Nevertheless, it is clear that the task forces are affecting drug trafficking in their jurisdictions. The survey of task force officers indicated that the officers believe that their efforts are reducing drug-related crime in the target areas. Officers reported an increase in the amount of drugs seized and perceived a decline in drug-related crime. Prosecutions in the State were perceived to be decreasing, but the officers reported that the level of drug trafficking is increasing and that drug trafficking is becoming more organized. This finding suggests that the success in arresting small independent, street-level pushers has had the unintended consequence of the development of more organized operations. Officers also reported increased cooperation and communication between law enforcement agencies and the task forces, as well as better shared intelligence and more effective use of investigative resources and personnel. Figures and tables