Project Description
Improvements to Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) System
PI: Susan Everingham
Funded by: National Institute of Justice
Researchers looking for solutions to substance abuse problems rely on data collected by criminal justice authorities, and RAND is committed to improving the reliability and utility of such data. In support of this goal, RAND assessed how changes to the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) system could make it more useful for analysts seeking to construct reliable models of drug careers, markets, and control strategies. While ADAM was intended to serve monitoring and modeling purposes, in practice the modeling function had been somewhat neglected; the study suggested that more attention should be paid to this function. The study also identified several topics about which little is currently known, for which more information would be particularly helpful in answering modelers' questions, and for which ADAM is in an especially good position to provide additional data. These included demographic and other information about heavy users; characteristics of drug markets; and buyers' and sellers' knowledge of enforcement and the risks of capture and punishment. The study also recommended ways in which ADAM's capabilities could be expanded within current funding levels.
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