Prosecutorial Response to Heavy Drug Caseloads: Comprehensive Problem-Reduction Strategies

• NCJ Number: 145745
• Author(s): B Boland; K M Healey
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 113 pages
• Grant Number(s): OJP-89-C-009
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This study identifies and describes those prosecutorial strategies that have been effective in reducing heavy drug caseloads.

Abstract

The report is based on information from a literature review, an analysis of the Uniform Crime Report data, telephone interviews with prosecutors in jurisdictions with heavy drug caseloads, and visits to five case-study sites during 1991. The latter have been updated to show practice at the end of 1992. The major study finding is that those prosecutors who have adopted the broadest definition of their mission report the greatest degree of control over their drug caseloads. These are the jurisdictions that have participated in multiagency and community efforts to address the drug problem at all levels, ranging from drug education and the deterrence of users to the aggressive prosecution of high-level drug sellers. The report calls this prosecution strategy "comprehensive problem reduction." This report describes four jurisdictions with an array of programs but a unifying managerial approach. Comprehensive problem reduction, as illustrated by these case studies, has the key elements of problem definition, the formulation of an appropriate response, and defendant targeting. Appended statistics, sample drug diversion program forms, the Criminal Justice Funding Act of 1990, 2 tables, and 1 figure