Improving Anti-Drug Budgeting

by Murphy, Patrick; Liston, Timothy; Thaler, David; Webb, Kathi; Davis, Lynn E.

• ISBN13: 9780833029157
• ISBN10: 0833029150
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-02-12
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

The United States spends over $16 billion a year to fight drugs, or so the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has certified over the past few years. What confidence is there that this budget accurately reflects federal expenditures on antidrug activities? The agencies that compile the antidrug budgets use a variety of calculation methods, some of which are problematic. Although the drug-control budget will necessarily always be a collection of estimates, it can be significantly improved, by establishing common principles to guide the calculations and by basing them on empirical data. Such steps would provide ONDCP with the ability to implement strategies and hold agencies accountable for their performance. This is essential for the ONDCP Director to be able to direct and coordinate the nation's antidrug programs and for the American people to be confident about what resources are actually being spent on antidrug activities.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii
Tables	ix
Summary	xi
Acknowledgments	xix
Abbreviations	xxi
Introduction	1	(4)
Organization	4	(1)
ONDCP Goals	4	(1)
Budgeting Overview	5	(12)
ONDCP'S Statutory Responsibilities	5	(1)
Compiling the Drug Policy	6	(2)
The Challenge of Counting Antidrug Dollars	8	(2)
Methodologies and the Purpose of Budgets	10	(3)
The ONDCP Experience in a Broader Context	13	(4)
U.S. Coast Guard	17	(8)
Mission	17	(1)
Drug Mission	18	(1)
Drug Budget	19	(1)
Drug Budget Methodology	20	(2)
``Program Budget'': The Coast Guard Cost-Allocation Methodology	20	(1)
Cost Model Issues	21	(1)
Decision Unit Methodologies and Resource Allocation	22	(1)
Analysis	23	(1)
Conclusion	24	(1)
Federal Bureau of Prisons	25	(8)
Mission	25	(2)
Drug Budget	27	(1)
Drug Budget Methodology	28	(1)
Analysis	29	(1)
Conclusion	30	(3)
U.S. Department of Defense	33	(8)
Mission	33	(1)
Counterdrug Budget Process	34	(3)
Budget Formulation	34	(2)
Counterdrug Budget and Methodology	36	(1)
Analysis	37	(2)
Conclusion	39	(2)
Immigration and Naturalization Service	41	(12)
Drug Mission	41	(1)
Drug Budget Methodology	41	(4)
The Origins of the Drug Percentages	42	(1)
Budget Formulation	43	(2)
Budget Execution	45	(1)
Reconcilling Budget Documents	45	(2)
Analysis	47	(3)
INS' Mission Drives the Agency's Drug Role	47	(1)
Current Drug Percentages Need to Be Updated	48	(2)
Connection to Performance Tenuous	50	(1)
Conclusion	50	(3)
U.S. Customs Service	53	(12)
Mission	53	(1)
Drug Control Budget	54	(2)
Drug Budget Methodology	56	(4)
Analysis	60	(4)
Conclusion	64	(1)
Federal Bureau of Investigation	65	(10)
Mission	65	(1)
Antidrug Activities	65	(1)
Antidrug Budget	66	(2)
FBI Antidrug Budget Methodology	68	(2)
Organized Criminal Enterprises	68	(1)
White Collar Crimes and the Support Decision Units	69	(1)
Violent Crimes	69	(1)
Technical Services	70	(1)
Analysis	70	(2)
Opaque to the Public	70	(1)
Methodology Works, but With Actuals	71	(1)
Questionable Methods Used to Calculate Non-OCE Investigations Drug Budget	71	(1)
Conclusion	72	(3)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration	75	(8)
Mission	75	(1)
Drug Budget Methodology	76	(6)
Activities 100-Percent Drug Related	76	(1)
SAPPBG Programs	77	(3)
Program Management	80	(1)
ONDCP Goals	80	(2)
Conclusion	82	(1)
Department of Veterans Affairs	83	(6)
Mission	83	(1)
Drug Budget	83	(1)
Medical Research Decision Unit	84	(1)
Medical Care Decision Unit	84	(3)
Drug Prevention	84	(1)
Drug Treatment	85	(2)
Conclusion	87	(2)
Health Care Financing Administration	89	(6)
Mission	89	(1)
Antidrug Activities	89	(1)
Antidrug Budget Methodology	90	(2)
Medicare	91	(1)
Medicaid	91	(1)
Conclusion	92	(3)
U.S. Department of Education	95	(8)
Drug Mission	95	(1)
Drug Budget Methodology	96	(4)
Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities	97	(1)
VR and Grants for Infants and Families	98	(1)
NIDRR and Program Administration	99	(1)
Conclusion	100	(3)
Counting SDFSC Grants as 100-Percent Prevention	101	(1)
Counting VR Grants as Drug Treatment	102	(1)
Conclusions and Recommendations	103	(12)
Successful Methodologies	103	(1)
Systematic Approach but Flawed Application	104	(1)
Lacking Empirical Basis	104	(1)
Some Antidrug Budgets Are Inflated	105	(2)
Recommendations	107	(5)
Methodologies Should Be Based on a Systematic Approach	107	(1)
Methodologies Should Be Empirically Based and Current	108	(2)
Similar Methodologies Should Be Derived from Common Principles	110	(1)
Public Presentation of Methodologies Should Be Consistent, Accurate, and Understandable	111	(1)
Benefits of Improved Methodologies	112	(3)
Bibliography	115