NCJ Number
123283
Date Published
1990
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This address reviews drug enforcement and prevention research in which the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is involved.
Abstract
NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) program uses voluntary, scientific urinalysis tests to detect drug use among arrested persons in 22 major cities. DUF provides accurate data on trends and patterns in the use of specific drugs in each city. DUF test results have provided forecasting capability over and beyond what trends in community indicators alone provide. Another NIJ-sponsored program is Drug Market Analysis (DMA). DMA computerizes all information on drug trafficking in a city. Mapping and computer printouts permit police to locate drug hotspots and markets. This provides the information necessary for police to devise intervention strategies and test their effectiveness. NIJ is currently evaluating an innovative Demand Reduction Program in Maricopa County, Ariz. The program is a cooperative effort by 26 agencies targeting drug users from all walks of life. NIJ is also assessing the effectiveness of the Tactical Narcotics Team in New York City. Teams of 117 officers saturate an area, do buys and arrests, and rid the area of drug traffickers. Other city agencies then coordinate efforts to raise the general quality of life in the area.