NCJ Number
176709
Date Published
1999
Length
43 pages
Annotation
Based on responses from 1,608 respondents who identified themselves as the leaders of a community task force, consortium, or coalition that plans and/or directs alcohol, tobacco, or other drug-related programs, activities, policies, and/or resources allocation, these findings from the fourth Join Together national survey (1998) indicate what communities are doing to prevent, treat, and reduce the harms from substance abuse and gun violence.
Abstract
The survey found that community leaders want significant changes in long-standing public policies and a change in the spending priorities of the Federal Government regarding substance abuse, while maintaining strong local law enforcement against currently illicit drugs. Respondents want a major shift in public policies regarding substance abuse prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and the environment that normalizes drug and alcohol excesses; for example, an overwhelming majority of people support restricting tobacco and alcohol advertising (98 percent and 96 percent respectively). Community coalitions report an increasing impact on substance abuse problems in their communities, as well as a stronger community capacity to address social problems. Although many coalitions are effective, the survey shows warning signs that the growth of the community movement may be stalling. Evidence of this development includes a decline in the number of new coalitions forming in communities, a decrease in the intensity with which coalitions are involved in efforts to fight substance abuse, and the disappearance of many lead coalitions that participated in the survey 2 years ago. Results of the community report card show that all community-based institutions can improve their response and increase their attention to substance abuse. Further, the structures and characteristics of coalitions and the communities in which they operate are different in places where the substance abuse situation is improving than in places where it is staying the same or getting worse. There is no indication of a single ideal form for an effective coalition. Most coalitions have small budgets and rely on volunteers; approximately 75 percent of the participating coalitions report getting no Federal money. Finally, many coalitions are taking an active role to prevent gun violence in their communities. There is broad consensus on gun policies that can be adopted to save lives; however, there are regional differences regarding gun-violence prevention options; for example, respondents from the upper mid-western States were significantly more likely to oppose policies such as increasing restrictions on handguns. The survey instrument and the survey methodology are provided.