NCJ Number
188812
Date Published
June 2000
Length
243 pages
Annotation
This report presents the proceedings of the third Bi-National Demand Reduction Conference, a joint effort between the United States and Mexico to reduce drug use.
Abstract
There were five main objectives of the conference, which met in Phoenix, AZ in May 2000: (1) to identify future drug control policy issues and explore ways the U.S and Mexico can coordinate and benefit from one another’s ideas and experiences; (2) to bring together key stakeholders from both countries to encourage networking, information sharing, and long-term relationships; (3) to develop a bi-national research; (4) to expand bi-national youth-oriented drug abuse treatment and prevention; and (5) to expand bi-national technical expertise in the field of drug abuse treatment, especially within the criminal justice systems of both countries. The 2-day meeting drew 426 researchers, practitioners, and treatment and prevention experts from both countries. Pre-conference sessions focused on advances in treatment and prevention and on initiating and evaluating public awareness campaigns. An innovative school program to prevent drug-related border crime was jointly presented by officials from Baja, California, San Diego, and Mexico. Conference workshops were divided along three tracks: (1) prevention, (2) treatment, and (3) linking the public health and safety systems. Workshops focused on sharing innovations and best practices for substance abuse treatment and prevention, training Mexican practitioners on the latest heroin and amphetamine treatments, and on sharing ideas for integrating public health and public safety systems. Faith-based and social models of recovery were explored and prevention practitioners addressed family strengthening and community mobilization strategies to overcome drug abuse. Workshops on public health and public safety addressed relapse prevention, recovery, and diversion and community corrections issues. The report is organized thematically rather than chronologically and includes speeches, papers, and slides. Lists of attendees are included. Exhibits