Police and Drugs (From Drugs, Crime, and Justice: Contemporary Perspectives, P 227-248, 1997, Larry K Gaines and Peter B Kraska, eds. -- See NCJ-165819)

• NCJ Number: 165830
• Author(s): M H Moore; M A R Kleiman
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: Waveland Press, Inc.
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

Drug trafficking and drug use and associated violence challenge police executives to find ways of using limited resources and capabilities to reduce violence, halt the spread of drug use, and control drug-related crime.

Abstract

Police departments must deal with drugs and violence while protecting the integrity of their organizations and the legal system. Past approaches that have relied only on police resources seem to be limited in their ability to achieve important social goals in the areas of drugs and violence. To reclaim neighborhoods, police departments must find ways of mobilizing community opposition to drugs. Successful approaches to drug and violence prevention also require the assistance of other public agencies. Although effective drug law enforcement is essential, the drug problem must be addressed through remedies other than arrests and through agencies other than police departments. Parents and schools must be mobilized, and drug treatment programs must focus on both drug and violence prevention. Gang violence related to drug trafficking and several drug prevention and enforcement strategies are discussed. 49 notes