Community Responses to Drug Abuse: A Program Evaluation

• NCJ Number: 145945
• Author(s): D P Rosenbaum; S F Bennett; B Lindsay; D L Wilkinson
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 45 pages
• Grant Number(s): 89-IJ-CX-0026; 90-DD-CX-0015
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This evaluation report, funded by the National Institute of Justice, describes how grassroots organizations in 10 cities responded to drug-related problems and presents specific strategies used by these cities to reduce drug abuse and fear and improve the quality of neighborhood life.

Abstract

The report covers ways of empowering residents to participate in ridding their neighborhoods of drugs, crime, and fear and to coordinate efforts with police, churches, social services, and housing authorities. The report is intended for use by local criminal justice and law enforcement administrators and community organizers and by public and private community agencies offering educational, social service, health, and housing services. The National Training and Information Center and the National Crime Prevention Council developed the 3-year Community Responses to Drug Abuse demonstration programs and worked with grassroots organizations in each of the 10 cities. Program goals were to raise awareness of drug issues and organize the community to implement surveillance and reporting strategies; to strengthen law enforcement efforts by reporting hot spots and drug houses to the police, monitoring court cases, and supporting legislation to apprehend and prosecute drug sellers; to protect youth by establishing drug-free school zones, drug prevention education programs, recreational programs, and tutoring and job training programs; and to improve the physical environment by using abandoned buildings as rehabilitated low-income housing or drug treatment centers. Despite initial reluctance and obstacles, local organizations were able to develop realistic plans during the first year of the demonstration programs. These organizations created community task forces and implemented various drug prevention strategies, and developed partnerships with other criminal justice agencies, fire and housing departments, city councils, school boards, churches, and recreation departments. An appendix contains tabular summaries of the 10 programs. References and figures