Case Studies with Questions and Answers
Chapter 12: Drugs, Crime, and Crime Prevention
An average Midwest city has experienced a growing drug problem over the last ten years. Due to financial reasons, the city was unable to attack the problem head on. Recently, the city received a 1 million dollar grant from the National Institute of Justice and the McGruff "Take a Bite Out of Crime" Campaign. The city is perplexed on how to spend the money. Here is the problem:
The city has increased arrests, without increasing staff or prevention procedures, of crack, cocaine, marijuana, and crystal meth in the past 4 years. Those arrested usually are carrying small amounts of their drug of choice on them and high level dealers and suppliers have been caught on a very limited basis. The city, which was home to a prominent automobile manufacturing company until 1999, has since dropped in population, but still holds a 16% unemployment rate. In addition to an increase in drug use, burglaries, robberies, and minor thefts have increased over the same time period.
Any and all efforts to rebuild the once thriving economy have been stymied by lack of funds and poor city planning. The grant money opens the door to increased prevention efforts either on the primary, secondary, or tertiary level. City planners are deadlocked on trying to prevent drugs in the community or trying to establish treatment centers for those already hooked in the community. Using the knowledge gained throughout the book and especially Chapter 12, answer the following questions.