Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Crime Pattern ID: Open Air Drug Markets

Pattern: Open Air Drug Markets

Victims: crime against state, addicts, juveniles, neighborhood

Perpetrators: low-level drug dealers, may be connected to gangs and/or organized crime

Locations: intersections, corners and streets in urban areas, vacant houses

Times: vary by drugs - heroin more in am, crack in pm (in some areas of country)

Approach Methods: "consumers" know market times, drive to areas to buy drugs, often come from suburbs into city to pick up the drugs

Weapons: dealers often are armed or have guns stashed nearby

Tools: scales, baggies, other wrapping, drug cutting materials and tools

Vehicles/Transportation Routes: drug trafficking routes bring street level drugs to low-level dealers from a variety of sources depending on drug and location

Stolen Goods: open air drug markets are associated with thefts of drugs and drug money, "carjackings" which involve "victims" trading use of their vehicle for drugs and then vehicle is not returned

Method: street level dealers obtain drugs to sell from a higher level of drug distributors which they may or may not be involved with

Motive: profit, street dealers may also have addiction problem

Query Terms: query drug calls/complaints along with drug charges, drug names

Suggestions: use problem oriented policing techniques to study markets and develop/assess strategies to reduce drug markets and their impact

Resources:

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