Case Studies of Community Anti-Drug Efforts. Research in Brief

摘要

Case studies of 13 grassroots community responses to illegal drugs in their neighborhoods. The wide variety of citizen initiatives revealed by the case studies showed how the groups assumed different levels of responsibility, functioned within social networks, and were influenced by various leaders. Assessing the success of their efforts involves determining improvement in the quality of life in the neighborhood with respect to the drug trade. Key findings: Effective community anti-drug efforts show wide variations in institutional robustness and in the breadth of approach to drug problems. Police play a particularly pivotal role in citizens' assault on drugs. To forge productive relationships between police and citizens, police executives should actively support local patrol officers in working with citizen groups.