Date of Award

Summer 6-23-2018

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Strict sentencing laws and zero tolerance policies born out of the War on Drugs has made it so the United States has the largest population of incarcerated individuals in the world. Communities have tried to address these large inmate populations by targeting the main contributor, low-level drug offenders, and instituting drug court programs that administer treatment, case management, and provide access to social services. If the offender complies with most if not all components of the drug court program, the offender can avoid serious jail time and will hopefully be less likely to offend in the future. Multnomah County’s newly adopted Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program is taking the drug court model a step further. LEAD is a pre-booking diversion program that is designed to divert offenders, or those likely to offend, before the filing of criminal charges. By reviewing the history of the War on Drugs, its contributions to mass incarceration, and how the impacts of both have driven the impetus for drug court programs, this study aims to determine if the LEAD court model is a viable option for the handling of drug offenders outside of the criminal justice system. The main components of this study’s research involve key informant interviews from LEAD stakeholders and a community survey, with other secondary and primary data sources to give a well-rounded view of the program and its current success or failures.

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