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Policing methamphetamine problems: a framework for synthesising expert opinion and evaluating alternative policy options

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2013

Matthew Manning ,
Janet Ransley ,
Christine Smith ,
Lorraine Mazerolle  and
Alana Cook
Matthew Manning
Affiliation:
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Australia E-mail: m.manning@griffith.edu.au
Janet Ransley
Affiliation:
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Australia E-mail: j.ransley@griffith.edu.au
Christine Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Accountancy, Finance and Economics, Griffith University, Australia E-mail: christine.smith@griffith.edu.au
Lorraine Mazerolle
Affiliation:
Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Australia E-mail: l.mazerolle@uq.edu.au
Alana Cook
Affiliation:
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Australia E-mail: alana.cook@griffith.edu.au
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Abstract

Increasingly, governments and police agencies require evidence of effectiveness and efficiency with respect to law enforcement policies. The existing “what works” literature, specifically on drug law enforcement, focuses mainly on the effectiveness question when making complex choices between drug policy alternatives, but fails when it comes to incorporating empirical evidence and the experience of key experts in the decision-making process. In addition, little attempt has been made to employ sophisticated techniques to assist in complex policy decision making with respect to funding competing policing policy alternatives. We use the methamphetamine problem in Australia to illustrate a way of evaluating, using multi-criteria analysis, alternative policy options for developing better drug policy.

Keywords

analytical hierarchy processdrug policyeconomic analysismethamphetamine
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Public Policy , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , December 2013 , pp. 371 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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