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Creating a Climate of Hope: Ten Neighborhoods Tackle the Drug Crisis

NCJ Number
160815
Date Published
1992
Length
82 pages
Annotation
This report describes the experiences of 10 communities that took part in Community Responses to Drug Abuse (CRDA), a 30-month national demonstration project funded by BJA, and provides advise for others who want to generate similar efforts in their communities.
Abstract
The report describes the challenge and the demonstration effort created to meet that challenge, as well as the process that formed the central component of the CRDA concept. The demonstration program consisted of three phases. The start-up phase lasted 12 months and included orientation and training, the formation of a community task force, the development of goals and objectives, the hiring of staff, and the development of work plans. The second 12 months were the implementation phase, which included revision of work plans, organization of community support, the development of working partnerships with other organizations, initial implementation of the work plans, and the development of local resources and support. The final 6 months involved planning for the program's future operation and funding. The essential elements of a CRDA program were a working relationship with law enforcement, a multifaceted community task force, and a detailed work plan. Descriptions of strategies used by law enforcement, parents, schools, businesses, and other partners and checklists and sample materials