Community Responses to Drug Abuse (CRDA) Program

Community Responses to Drug Abuse (CRDA) is a national demonstration project dedicated to fighting drug abuse through the mobilization of local communities. It is administered by the National Crime Prevention Council and funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

Ten communities recently took part in the CRDA project. These CRDA sites spanned the United States and represented various kinds of communities. All were characterized by high unemployment rates, low education levels, high rates of female-headed households, inadequate and/or overcrowded housing, high crime rates, extensive poverty, and drug-related problems. All were struggling to find ways to deal with the many issues associated with the drug problem.

The CRDA project found that convincing residents to participate in drug-prevention campaigns and other community improvement efforts presents many challenges. People often distrust neighbors and the police, fear retaliation, and are discouraged by the enormity of the drug problem. Some valuable lessons were learned:

Successful programs begin with small, tangible victories, such as mobilizing residents to reclaim a particular street corner, and use the confidence and capacity thus built to tackle larger issues, such as enlisting widespread community support for a before- or after-school program for the whole area.
Forming a taskforce and having its members come to consensus over goals can take almost a year; but because so much energy is invested in the process, those who are involved gain a stake and so become invested in the solutions.
Participating communities saw the absolute necessity of addressing larger issues, such as the high school dropout rate, job training and retraining, economic development and job creation, the availability of drug treatment, and affordable housing.

Working with religious institutions became an integral part of several local CRDA programs. In Chicago's South Austin neighborhood, an inspirational rally was held. Speakers presented the message that community religious leaders have a moral and professional obligation to prevent drug abuse. The rally led to formation of a coalition of ministers representing eight churches in the target community. The coalition joined with the CRDA taskforce to create a comprehensive drug-prevention and treatment program.

In Hartford, Connecticut, 13 community churches serving a largely Puerto Rican population joined together with the CRDA taskforce. They decided to augment their social programs to address some of the city's greatest challenges, including drugs, crime, blighted housing, and the lack of positive activities for young people. The group worked with police and more than 200 residents to eradicate drug hot spots and create treatment and education programs. Today their efforts center on increasing summer employment opportunities for youth and on expanding drug-treatment services.

Community organizations in Oakland, California, also used a church-based approach to address the drug issue. Groups from various congregations and denominations within the target area identified common needs and strategies. Their chief organizing tactic was a one-on-one, "each one teach one" approach.