NCJ Number
161233
Date Published
1996
Length
160 pages
Annotation
Given the changing nature of antidrug activities and the broadened scope of current police efforts, this report identifies the scope and characteristics of current antidrug tactics, particularly those that are innovative or reveal some promise of effectiveness.
Abstract
One section provides an overview of the evolution of drug enforcement and the broadened perspective toward police activity that relates to drug problems. Issues discussed are traditional drug enforcement, limitations of drug enforcement, broadened approaches to antidrug activities, and the local nature of antidrug activities. A discussion of the research objectives and methods that produced the material for this report focuses on the survey construction and administration, the survey respondents, and the study's strengths and limitations. The section that describes the findings from the mail survey addresses the variety of approaches to drug law enforcement, distinctions between patrol and investigations units, innovative approaches, the links and substitution of tactics, and effective approaches. This is followed by a description of an alternative way to classify antidrug tactics and a discussion of policy implications related to the study. The concluding section provides more indepth descriptions of 31 antidrug tactics police rated as effective or innovative approaches to drug problems. The information provided on each program includes the history and use of the tactic, including data on the locus of control, the selection and training of personnel, special guidelines or procedures, targets, measures of effectiveness, and other factors relevant for policymakers who may use the tactic in their jurisdictions. 40 references and appended survey instrument, site protocol, correlation matrices, factor analysis, and other supplementary materials