NCJ Number
56873
Date Published
1979
Length
485 pages
Annotation
BOTH THE FINDINGS OF A STUDY ON DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SIX NARCOTICS UNITS ACROSS THE U.S. AND A LITERATURE REVIEW AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ON DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY THE PERCEIVED DRUG PROBLEMS OF THE URBAN NARCOTICS UNITS INVESTIGATED OVER A 1 1/2 YEAR PERIOD, TO DETERMINE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE UNITS WITH RESPECT TO THAT DEFINED ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM, AND TO GATHER FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS, INTERVIEWS, AND OBSERVATIONS THE SPECIFIC MEANS AND STRATEGIES USED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS. ONCE THIS MODEL OF THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS WAS ARTICULATED, THE RESEARCHERS SOUGHT TO DETERMINE HOW THE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE MAINTAINED CONTROL OVER EVIDENCE, MONEY, INFORMANTS, AGENT REQUIREMENT, AND AGENT TRAINING. IT WAS FOUND THAT NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE INVESTIGATOR CENTERED RATHER THAN ORGANIZATION CENTERED, A FACT WHICH AFFECTS ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DUAL SETTING, BUDGETING, RECORDKEEPING, TARGETING STRATEGIES, AND THE USE OF INFORMANTS. IT IS ARGUED THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO CONTROL THE ACTIONS OF INVESTIGATORS RESULTS IN AN INCREASED CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. THE SECOND SECTION OF THE REPORT, THE LITERATURE REVIEW AND BIBLIOGRAPHY, HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANT RESEARCH IN THE AREAS OF ENFORCEMENT PHILOSOPHY, ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES OF NARCOTICS UNITS, TACTICS AND MODES OF OPERATION UNITS, CORRUPTION, DISCRETION IN DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE POLITICS OF DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND MEASURING THE EFFECTS OF ENFORCEMENT. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY CITES 285 SCHOLARLY ARTICLES, DISSERTATIONS, GOVERNMENT STUDIES, MAGAZINE ARTICLES, AND A FEW WORKS OF FICTION BASED ON STREET REPORTAGE. THE LITERATURE IS IN ENGLISH, MAINLY DISCUSSES THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE U.S., AND HAS PUBLICATIONS DATES BETWEEN 1969-1977. WORKS ARE ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY BY AUTHOR. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)