2000 Counterdrug Research and Development Blueprint Update

1.0 Introduction

The Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center (CTAC) was established within the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and is the central counterdrug enforcement research and development (R&D) organization of the U.S. Government. The counterdrug R&D program supports the five goals of the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS):

• educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as alcohol and tobacco,
  
  
• increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence,
  
  
• reduce health and social costs to the public of illegal drug use,
  
  
• shield America's air, land and sea frontiers from the drug threat, and
  
  
• break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.

This sixth Counterdrug R&D Blueprint Update provides the status of the counterdrug R&D program, the Technology Transfer Program, oversight and coordination activity, and a summary of plans for future counterdrug R&D initiatives. Appendices provide the following related material:

• Appendix A provides a listing of recent legislation and conference reports,
  
  
• Appendix B provides a listing of scientific and technological needs by technology area and agency,
  
  
• Appendix C provides a listing of R&D projects being sponsored by each agency,
  
  
• Appendix D provides the Annual Report on the Development and Deployment of Narcotics Detection Technologies (required by P.L. 105-85), and
  
  
• Appendix E provides a summary of the Technology Transfer Program.

1.1 Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center

CTAC's mission is to serve as the central counterdrug enforcement research and development organization of the U.S. Government. Since 1992, Congress has appropriated funding to sponsor a counterdrug R&D program to advance the technological capabilities of Federal drug control agencies responsible for both supply and demand reduction activities. In 1998, CTAC's role was expanded to support a program to transfer successful counterdrug technologies developed with federal funding directly to State and local law enforcement agencies. The Technology Transfer Program (TTP) concentrates on providing state-of-the-art, affordable, easily integrated and maintainable tools to enhance the capabilities of State and local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) for counterdrug missions. Special emphasis was placed on providing technology to LEAs within High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA).

In Fiscal Year 1999 and 2000, annual appropriations of $16 million were received to sponsor counterdrug technology development initiatives and annual appropriations of $13 and $13.25 million, respectively, to continue the Technology Transfer Program. These funds were used to support those areas shown in Figure 1 which correspond to ONDCP's FY 2001 Annual Performance Plan and FY 1999 Performance Report.

Demand Reduction: Basic Research Tools Knowledge Advancement -- use technology to advance knowledge base (brain imaging) Knowledge Application -- apply knowledge to drug abuse research programs Human Capital Development -- attract emerging research leaders to drug abuse research Mission Advancement -- accelerate development and introduction of treatments for addiction Supply Reduction: Technology Development, Test and Evaluation Quality -- assess performance of commercial off the shelf equipment using technology testbeds Relevance -- adapt technology from counter-terrorism, defense and commercial applications for counterdrug use Leadership -- test and evaluate emerging technology prototypes Peer Review -- conduct international technology program reviews on counterdrug technologies Retrospective Analysis -- report on program progress in periodic reports and ad hoc studies Benchmarking -- conduct benchmark studies to compare competing approaches to similar problems Supply Reduction: Technology Transfer to State and Local Law Enforcement Economic Rate of Return -- deploy cost effective technologies to improve drug enforcement Knowledge Advancement -- indoctrinate field officers in the use of advanced technologies Knowledge Application -- apply technology solutions to field problems Human Capital Development -- conduct one-day regional workshops and training sessions Mission Advancement -- evaluate national deployment plan Oversight and Coordination: Federal, State and Local Research and Development Knowledge Advancement -- promote the exchange of technology among drug control agencies Knowledge Application -- sponsor field evaluations of emerging advanced technology prototypes Human Capital Development -- employ technology to improve officer effectiveness and safety Mission Advancement -- reduce unnecessary duplication in development programs

Figure 1. CTAC Program Area

1.2 Federal Budgets for Counterdrug Research and Development

Those expenditures reported for drug-related R&D by the Federal drug control agencies are listed in Table 1.

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