NCJ Number
211122
Date Published
February 2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report, prepared by an Australian researcher, describes the methodology of a systematic review of drug law enforcement evaluations.
Abstract
Stage One of the project will involve a systematic review of drug law enforcement evaluations in order to identify the strategic law enforcement interventions that are most effective; identify and provide parameter estimates that will be useful for project colleagues who are building economic, systemic, and complexity models; and use what we learn about drug law enforcement to guide the development of activities, notably a randomized controlled trial. Stage Two of the project will examine the optimal mix of law enforcement, treatment, and prevention approaches for dealing with drug problems. The review will focus on assessments of the effectiveness of drug law enforcement interventions executed at the local, regional, State, national, and global levels to reduce or prevent drug problems, including drug use, drug dealing, drug supply, drug demands, and associated problems with drug-dealing places. First, a narrative review will assess a variety of interventions classified as either international/national interventions; reactive/aggressive interventions; proactive/partnership interventions; and individualized interventions. Second, a meta-analysis will be conducted to statistically analyze the impact of reactive/aggressive and proactive/partnership interventions on reducing drug offenses and associated crime and disorder outcomes. Finally, the findings from the narrative review and meta-analysis will be integrated to create an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the evaluated interventions. The research questions that will be addressed are listed. The study will begin March 2004, and the preparation of the draft report will be in May 2005. 32 references