Criminal Justice Agencies in the United States

Criminal Justice Agencies and Prevention Agencies Must Collaborate to Prevent Drug Use

Law enforcement agencies are critical partners in community-based prevention strategies and can help reduce youth involvement in drug-related criminal activity. Some communities have begun to employ effective collaboration among police, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, corrections officials, and their counterparts in the prevention field. For example, PACT360 (Police and Communities Together) is a community education program funded by DOJ and implemented in collaboration with the Partnership at Drugfree.org. In FY 2010, DOJ awarded two new PACT360 grants for a total of $1.2 million from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. An enforcement-led effort, PACT360 provides education to parents, youth, and community leaders about the risks and consequences of youth drug use. Many government-private partnerships have been formed through PACT360. To date, lead law enforcement agencies have been recruited in more than 30 states. (Action Item 1.4B)

Using evidence-based prevention practices, HIDTA members partner with community-based coalitions and organizations to better tailor prevention messages to youth, share time and personnel resources with local law enforcement agencies, and use juvenile justice programs to prevent and reduce gang and other criminal activity. (Action Item 1.4A)