NCJ Number
161131
Date Published
January 1996
Length
72 pages
Annotation
Because drug abuse and drug-related crime and violence affect the lives of many Americans in both urban and rural areas, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) supports States and localities in their efforts to reduce the demand for and the use of illegal drugs through early intervention, prevention, treatment, and innovative law enforcement and prosecution.
Abstract
Through funding, technical assistance, and research, the OJP contributes ideas and resources to the development of comprehensive programs to reduce the demand for illegal drugs and strategic approaches to combat crime and violence that often accompany drug use. Model programs and research initiatives have been funded by the OJP to break the cycle of drug abuse. In addition, under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the OJP has enhanced programs and resources to meet the challenge of drugs and violence in communities. The OJP Drugs and Crime Working Group focuses on programs to reduce demand through treatment, juvenile drug abuse, drug treatment and prevention evaluation and research, community-based strategies that target neighborhoods, and antidrug coalitions and partnerships. The Working Group is also concerned with strengthening law enforcement and interdiction efforts through Byrne discretionary grants, multijurisdictional task forces, drug law enforcement strategies targeting young people, and drug law enforcement evaluation and research. A list of Bureau of Justice Statistics publications containing drug information is appended.