Civil, remedies and drug control - A randomized field trial in Oakland, California

This study evaluates the impact of a civil remedy program (Beat Health) on drug and disorder problems under experimental field trial conditions. Using calls for service data, the authors find statistically significant differe nces between the control and experimental groups, when drug problem calls p rior to the start of the intervention were compared to drug calls during a 12-month follow-up period. The Beat Health sites, especially the residentia l sites, improved relative to the control sites. By contrast, the control t reatment (patrol response) led to significant increases in drug problems, p articularly at the commercial properties included in this study. The author s also examined the spatial influences of the Bear Health and patrol respon ses in catchment areas surrounding each of the 100 study sites. The results show some improvement in the experimental residential sites. The authors f ound however, a possible displacement of drug problems in and around both t he commercial experimental and control sites. They show that the displaceme nt effect is most notable in the commercial control sites.