This volume deals with the strategic, cultural and political effects of contemporary drug policing. It argues that approaches to drug law enforcement endemically produce and reproduce failure, meanwhile realizing undesirable forms of policing in a democratic society.

Forty years ago, President Richard Nixon declared a “war on drugs.” Since that time, the country has incarcerated thousands of citizens and spent billions of dollars, and yet the drug problem rolls on. Today, the illegal drug market funds international terrorism, the horrific drug war on the Mexican border, and the senseless violence plaguing our communities, large and small. It is past time for a new direction. This book provides a drug policy framework that will choke off the revenue supporting the illegal drug market. Howard Rahtz outlines a series of drug policy steps buttressed by a historical review of drug policy measures, a review of international efforts against trafficking, and a clear understanding of the dynamics of addiction and its role in facilitating the illegal drug market.

Robert C. Davis and Arthur J. Lurigio present a balanced and reasoned review of what citizens, with the help of police and other authorities, can do to reduce drug-related crime in their neighborhoods. The message is timely, clear, helpful, and hopeful. Fighting Back successfully brings together recent and emerging research in community antidrug efforts (indigenous and implanted), police-based strategies, and civil abatement procedures. The authors examine what is and what is not working to mitigate one of America′s most pressing social problems--neighborhood-based drug trafficking. --Janice A. Roehl, Ph.D., Vice President, Institute for Social Analysis, Pacific Grove, California "Fighting Back is a delightful book and will add significantly to the field. It is the first comprehensive book that covers different strategies used to restore order and health to our troubled communities. Because the book covers a number of strategies, it is relevant to many different disciplines. . . . Its breath is refreshing and offers a perspective of hope in a field that is often filled with ′doom and gloom.′ This book is useful to a wide audience to learn about programs that address this problem." --Faye S. Taxman, University of Maryland at College Park Illicit drugs continue to pose a serious challenge to society, particularly inner-city communities. Featuring the latest empirical research, Fighting Back takes a close look at the partnerships law enforcement and grassroots citizen groups are forming to prevent and discourage drug dealing. The authors thoroughly examine police-based, citizen-based, and shared responsibility strategies through case studies, citing never-before published or newly released investigations. Using an eclectic, multidisciplinary approach, Robert C. Davis and Arthur J. Lurigio provide a detailed discussion of both theoretical and programmatic issues critical to this ongoing social problem. With an emphasis on how drug use and related crime and violence affect the well-being and vitality of neighborhoods, this volume offers informed and hopeful observations for effective, cooperative strategies for restoring drug-affected communities. Professionals and students in many different disciplines--including law enforcement, corrections, criminal justice, community psychology, sociology, urban affairs, and public policy--will find Fighting Back a comprehensive resource on the cooperative efforts of citizenry and the law to curtail drug dealing.

As traditional approaches to policing drug activity become increasingly ineffective, cities across the United States are developing new enforcement strategies to deal with the problem. Lorraine Green charts the success of a programme in Oakland, California which features community involvement in the policing of areas where drug abuse is rife. An environment has been created where deviant activity is less likely to occur; working relationships have been established between the police and the public, properties cleaned up and civil codes enforced. This timely book concludes with a thoughtful discussion of the challenges facing other cities developing drug control programmes.