Crack and the Evolution of Anti-Drug Policy

An authority on anti-drug policy and crack since it became a popular street drug in the mid-1980s, Belenko traces the development of America's policy response in the context of changes in policy that were underway when crack first appeared. He summarizes the state of our knowledge about crack, its pharmacological properties, its use and effects on health and behavior, and its distribution. Moreover, he makes recommendations about policies to deal with the next drug epidemic. This empirical analysis and public policy study is intended for teachers, graduate students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in drug control and treatment, criminal justice law enforcement, and in public administration.

Steven R. Belenko is Senior Research Fellow at the New York City Criminal Justice Agency. He has directed several major research projects dealing with the relationship between the use or sale of crack and criminal behavior and the use of other illicit drugs and their impact on the criminal justice system. He holds a PhD in experimental psychology from Columbia University and has written at length on crack and anti-drug policy.