NCJ Number
136840
Date Published
1992
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report reviews studies of multijurisdictional drug control task forces conducted from 1988 to 1990, provides information on drug task force operations in the 56 States and U.S. territories, and examines activity trends for task forces operating in 15 States between 1988 and 1990.
Abstract
Task force studies help to identify practices that may contribute to improved operations and performance. These practices include appointing active oversight boards to maintain the political coalitions necessary for cross- jurisdictional law enforcement operations, the agencies involved agreeing about the sharing of asset forfeitures, and establishing close working relationships with prosecutors' officers. At least 989 multijurisdictional task forces in operation in the United States in the spring of 1991 received financial support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance formula grant program. Benefits of task forces include increased communication and coordination among local and multilevel law enforcement agencies. Turf issues and lack of cooperation emerge as problems in the effort to establish and operate task forces. In the 15 States for which this project traced task force activities over the 1988 to 1990 period, possession offenses accounted for 41 percent of drug arrests, distribution offenses for 40 percent, and other drug offenses such as manufacturing and cultivating for 19 percent. Recommendations for future task force research are included. 17 footnotes, 10 figures, 7 tables, and 7 references