Realities of Drug Enforcement

• NCJ Number: 102019
• Journal: Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1986) Pages: 171-182
• Author(s): G Wardlaw
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This paper is revised from an address to the 2nd National Drug Institute, Darwin, Australia, August 1985.

Annotation

This critical evaluation of various drug enforcement strategies argues that attempts to control illegal drug use by law enforcement alone must necessarily fail, since drug abuse is a multifaceted and multiply-determined problem that cannot be solved by a unitary approach.

Abstract

A discussion of the limitations and advantages of law enforcement strategies covers supply reduction overseas, dramatic increases in customs and domestic law enforcement resources, forfeiture of proceeds of drug trafficking, harsher penalties, and targeting high-level drug distributors. It explains that although politicians and the public see solutions to drug abuse in the enforcement field, evidence suggests that enforcement strategies targeting supply reduction in reality increase the crime rate. They do not reduce the level of supply nor dissuade new users, and do not induce current users to reduce or abandon their usage. Moreover, a 1984 Rand study concludes that very low returns will be obtained from very large increases in the drug enforcement effort. The paper discusses the proper place of law enforcement in a drug control policy and the need to experiment with innovative approaches. 21 references. (Author abstract modified)