NCJ Number
151508
Date Published
1994
Length
30 pages
Annotation
The Drug Enforcement Coordinating System (DECS) was established in 1985 to enhance the efficiency of narcotics investigations by the Maryland State Police, and this report analyzes the types of drugs being investigated under DECS and the demographics of persons suspected of involvement in illegal drug activity.
Abstract
Drug investigation entries made by law enforcement agencies in Maryland and Virginia and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration during 1993 were analyzed. Crack entries constituted the largest percentage of DECS entries, followed by cocaine, marijuana, and PCP. Whites comprised just over 50 percent of DECS entries for the first half of 1993, a change from the previous assessment when blacks comprised slightly more than half of DECS entries. Whites were most commonly involved with for marijuana, cocaine, PCP, pharmaceuticals, and methamphetamine, while for blacks were most commonly involved with crack and heroin. Males outnumbered females by a 4:1 ratio. The largest percentage of DECS entries by age were in the 18- to 25-year-old group, followed by the 31- to 44-year year-old group and the 26- to 30-year-old group. The DECS is believed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of narcotics investigations in Maryland by reducing duplication in law enforcement efforts, identifying individuals suspected of multijurisdictional illegal drug activity, and promoting interagency cooperation and communication in narcotics investigations. Appendixes contain supplemental data on DECS entries by law enforcement agency, race, and age. 21 tables and 3 figures