Street-level drug law enforcement: An updated systematic review
The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has released a systematic review of the impact of street-level law enforcement interventions on drug crime and drug-related calls-for-service.
Researchers from the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology were commissioned by the Serious and Organised Crime Research Laboratory to update a 2007 systematic review of the impact of street-level law enforcement interventions.
The study used the Global Policing Database to identify studies since 1950 where an intervention involved street-level law enforcement to target any type of illicit drugs. Twenty-six studies were eligible for inclusion, of which 18 studies reported sufficient data to calculate effect sizes.
Overall, street-level policing approaches, particularly those involving partnerships, are effective in reducing drug crime.
Geographically targeted law enforcement interventions are more effective in reducing drug crime than standard, unfocused approaches. Approaches that target larger problem areas for intervention are more effective for reducing drug crime (but not calls-for-service) than approaches that focus on micro problem places.
Problem-oriented and community-wide policing strategies were shown to be more effective than hotpots policing for reducing drug crime.
The study will assist law enforcement, practitioners and policymakers to identify and develop drug enforcement strategies which are evidence-based, adapted to suit the local context, and delivered in partnership to ensure maximum effect.
