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PREFACE
This report synthesizes the findings of a review of the structure and
performance of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
Act (SDFSCA) and assesses options for strengthening it. As part of
this study, a conference was held at which practitioners, researchers,
and government officials considered the findings and conclusions
presented in three commissioned papers, the proceedings of focus
groups of knowledgeable practitioners in two school districts, and
a review of the literature describing the program established by
SDFSCA and its performance to date.
A companion volume (MR-1328/1-EDU, Options for Restructuring
the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act: Report with
Background Papers and Focus Group Summary, by Peter Reuter et al.,
2001) contains the full set of project outputs. Both reports should
be of interest to federal officials and legislators involved in the
impending reauthorization of the SDFSCA, as well as to individuals
concerned with the implementation of drug and violence prevention programs in schools. The project was sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Education, and the work was performed within
RAND’s Drug Policy Research Center.
THE RAND DRUG POLICY RESEARCH CENTER
The Drug Policy Research Center, a joint endeavor of RAND Criminal
Justice and RAND Health, was established in 1989 to conduct the
empirical research, policy analysis, and outreach needed to help
community leaders and public officials develop more effective
strategies for dealing with drug problems. The Center builds on a
long tradition of RAND research characterized by an interdisci-
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Options for Restructuring the SDFSCA
plinary, empirical approach to public policy issues and rigorous
standards of quality, objectivity, and independence. The Ford Foundation and other foundations, as well as government agencies, corporations, and individuals, support the Center. Dr. Audrey Burnam
and Dr. Martin Iguchi codirect the Drug Policy Research Center.