An Arizona drug control strategy was initially developed in 1987 with extensive input from local, state, and federal officials and agencies. Through the years, the drug control strategy was updated, refined, and expanded to include gang and violent crime. The first multi-year strategy was released in 2000 and continued for three years, followed by a four-year strategy developed in 2004 and a subsequent strategy in 2008. Drug, gang and violent crime continue to be a persistent threat to the public safety and health of Arizonans. Through granting millions of dollars in federal and state funds to address drug, gang and violent crime, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission serves an integral role in responding to the problem. The Arizona Drug, Gang and Violent Crime Control (Strategy) is the Commission’s primary decision-making tool for the allocation of funds and to guide project activity for the Drug, Gang and Violent Crime Control program.

House Bill 2554 appropriated $3 million from the state general fund in fiscal year 2007 to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission for distribution to each county board of supervisors for “…increased methamphetamine interdiction efforts including investigation, training, prosecution, abuse treatment, or education programs.” By statute, each county that receives funds was required to submit quarterly reports to ACJC regarding the use and effectiveness of its award. The forms requested information on the type of program(s) developed, a description of the performance measures used to document the effectiveness of these funds, and the activity of each funded program. These reports provides a brief summary of activity of the two-year Methamphetamine Interdiction Fund project. They provide a summary of the reports submitted by each county.

The Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network is a drug abuse monitoring system that provides on-going descriptive information about drug use, crime, victimization, and other characteristics of interest among individuals arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona. In five facilities throughout the county, professionally trained interviewers conduct voluntary and confidential interviews with recently booked arrestees. Questions focus on a range of topics including demographics, patterns of drug use (lifetime and recent), criminal activity, gang affiliation, victimization, mental health, citizenship, and treatment experiences. Each interviewee also provides a urine specimen that is tested for the presence of alcohol and/or drugs.