NCJ Number
136501
Date Published
1991
Length
46 pages
Annotation
This handbook is intended to educate lawyers on the fundamental issues of the drug crisis that lawyers will need to address.
Abstract
A review of the current drug problem in the United States concludes that recent studies show a downward trend in drug use, although there is no consensus on why this is so. An analysis of the impact of drug law enforcement on the entire justice system advises that the emphasis on drug law enforcement has strained the resources of courts, public defenders, and prosecutors and has packed the Nation's jails and prisons. Delay and overtaxing of the system have eroded its ability to enforce sanctions through swift, sure penalties. An assessment of the effectiveness of enforcement measures as a solution to drug-related problems concludes that there is no system in place that measures the impact of enforcement on supply reduction or the effectiveness of particular strategies and approaches. In the absence of objective confirmation of the effectiveness of law enforcement, the handbook recommends continuation of enforcement efforts without devoting resources exclusively to them. Analyses of treatment and prevention efforts conclude that both treatment and prevention, when developed under evaluation studies, can be effective to reduce drug use and abuse. The final section of the handbook presents a call to action for lawyers. Section notes