Evaluating the Drug Market Intervention Initiative

BJA Drug Market Intervention Workshop

July 2009

Evaluation IssuesHow will we know if DMI made a difference?

• Need to measure and understand – what we did

• Impact on neighborhood, citizens, individuals

• Utilizing multiple measures

Compared to what?

Evaluation IssuesEvaluation includes both an assessment of

what was done and whether it had an impact

• Process Evaluation– Program monitoring (“outputs”)

• Outcome Evaluation– What are you trying to affect? (“outcomes”)

Design Issues- Comparisons• Pre/post design

• Trends

• Comparison groups– DMI target areas compared to drug market areas not

receiving intensive intervention– Drug market offenders involved DMI compared to

those involved in traditional enforcement– Surrounding areas to examine “displacement” and

“diffusion of benefits”

Possible Data Sources – Individual Impact

• Program records (e.g., clients served)• Probation/parole history

– Meeting attendance– Number of visits (i.e. home visits)– Employment status– Urine testing

• Criminal history data– Pre/post intervention– Arrest, conviction, sentencing

Possible Data Sources – Individual Impact

• Self report data (e.g. survey or interview*)

– Perception of risk (victimization; enforcement)– Self-reported offenses– Gun carrying behavior* Sample surveys available at http://www.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/psn/psnresources.html

Possible Data Sources – Community Impact

• Law enforcement data– Offenses known to police by various offense types– Arrests– Calls for police service

• Community survey• Interviews/focus groups with residents• Systematic observation/ethnographic

approaches

Outcome Measures (Individual Level)

• Employment• Participation in social service programs

– Education, substance abuse counseling, food, clothing, housing

• Arrest records– Prevalence– Incidence– Location of new arrests (assess displacement)

• Contact with law enforcement/courts

Outcome Measures (Individual Level)

• Perceptions of the certainty and severity of punishment (deterrence)

• Perceptions of social support services

• Perceptions of procedural and substantive justice

• Perceptions of police and the criminal justice system– Trust in police

Outcome Measures (Community Level)

• Drug hotline reports• Calls for service• Drug buy attempts• Crime incidents

– Property; Violent; Drug-related; Total Gun Crime

Outcome Measures (Community Level)

• Perceptions of neighborhood residents and influentials – “quality of life”– Perceived changes in levels of crime – Perceived changes in level of physical and social

disorder– Perceptions of neighborhood safety/fear of crime– Neighborhood cohesion/relations– Collective efficacy (neighbors willing to look out for

others and area)– Perceptions of the police and justice system

Summary• Greatest impact is likely at the

neighborhood level

• Showing results will buy support

• Assistance is available– MSU technical assistance role to support

evaluation