The President's Drug Policy

The President's Drug Policy

Iris Ramirez

Criminal Justice Policy Analysis

April 17, 2005

Introduction

The following is a summary of the President's policy emphasizing on the President's stated objectives. Stopping drug use before it starts, providing drug treatment, and attacking the economic basis of the drug trade are the main positions the President stressed. The President's policy was analyzed by the important tasks played by law enforcement, schools and the community. The apprehension of major drug organizations will be explained how they attribute to the policy. The effectiveness of the President's drug policy will also be evaluated.

The United States government projected $25 million to support schools in school-based drug testing and other drug-free programs. In 2003, many schools across the nation provided their own funding for student drug testing programs. The President wants to increase this program for 2005. He also wants to continue funding for ONDCP. This media campaign sends anti-drug messages to young adults via web sites, functions, and events on drug awareness. This approach will include information for parents and youth to encourage early intervention against drug use in 2005.

The President's recommendation is to increase the funding to $80 million in fiscal year 2005. This new budget will be able to fund approximately 100 new local community anti-drug coalitions working to prevent substance abuse among young people. This program provides matching grant monies, with priority given to coalitions serving economically disadvantaged areas (President's National Drug Control Strategy, 2004).

The President proposed an increase of $100.6 million in 2005 for substance abuse and drug treatment systems, such as clinical treatment or recovery services. Another anticipated budget increase is for drug court programs. With more monies, the extent and value of drug court services will increase. These programs are options to imprisonment with the goal of being drug-free.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) budget increased to 28.3 million. This increase will ensure NIDA'S continuing commitment to key research efforts, including basic research on the nature of addiction, development of science-based behavioral interventions, medications, development, and the rapid translation of research finding into practice. The National Prevention Research Initiative, Interventions, and Treatment for Current Drug Users Who Are Not Yet Addicted, and the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network, are all examples of NIDA's efforts (President's National Drug Control Strategy, 2004).

The President also increased law enforcement budget. Efforts will increase to disrupt major drug trade organizations. DEA's task will also include trafficking organizations on a consolidated target list given by the Attorney General.

Manpower for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces will increase to put a balance between investigative and prosecutorial positions. More and more staff will be hired to eventually have a ratio of one Assistant U.S. Attorney for every 4.5 investigative agents. Included in this expansion is the OCDETF Fusion Center. Sixty positions will be provided to analyze drug trafficking and related financial investigative information. This improvement will result in the fusion center being nationwide.

Another enhancement is funds for the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS's uses its resources to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the financial communications of drug trafficking organizations. Aircraft hours will also increase from 200 to 600 per month to provide radar coverage in terrain where vehicles are limited to surveillance.

Law Enforcement including, DEA, FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and local departments, all play a major role in the President's drug policy. These officials are needed to disorder, impair, and even destroy the drug trade organizations. Confronting a hidden, illicit business requires discipline, intelligence, and creativity. To a degree not commonly imagined,