NCJ Number
155173
Date Published
1995
Length
50 pages
Annotation
Data collected during 1985 and 1990 by the District of Columbia's Pretrial Services Agency (DCPSA) and treatment data listed in the 1990 National Drug and Alcoholism Treatment Unit Survey (NDATUS) were used to perform a geocoded drug treatment needs assessment for Washington, D.C.
Abstract
Locations of arrested residents who tested positive by urinalysis for cocaine, PCP, or heroin in 1990 were examined in relation to locations of existing drug treatment centers. The MapInfo geographic information system was used to geocode residential addresses reported by arrestees. Of addresses reported to DCPSA, 69 percent were geocoded for the analysis. Treatment center addresses from NDATUS were also geocoded. NDATUS data, however, did not include all treatment centers in the District of Columbia and did not address capacity for treatment, mode of treatment, or drug-specific treatment. In general, drug- positive arrestees were concentrated east of Rock Creek during 1985 and 1990. The concentration of cocaine-positive arrestees was greater during 1990 than during 1985. The concentration of PCP and opiate-positive arrestees, however, was smaller during 1990 than during 1985. In general, geographic areas containing concentrations of arrestees for one drug also contained concentrations of arrestees who tested positive for other drugs. Some areas containing concentrations of drug-positive arrestees appeared to contain few or no treatment centers. Recommendations are offered to guide the conduct of future geocoded drug treatment needs assessments. Additional data on drug-positive arrestees by quarter for 1990 are appended. 6 references, 3 tables, and 10 figures