1. The Nine Step Process
The Benefits
Rather than focusing on individual drug
users and sellers, the focus is on shutting down
Middletown’s
• The original intervention in High
Drug Market
Point, NC, eliminated open-air drug markets using a nine step process.
drug markets citywide and
reduced violent crime by 57 1. Crime Mapping – Selecting a target area
percent in the first neighbour-
Intervention
based on crime data
hood in which it was
implemented. 2. Survey – Law enforcement “surveys” the
• In Providence, RI, calls for police target area to learn all they can about
service in the city’s worst open-
drug dealers in that area
air drug market fell 58 percent;
reported drug crime 70 percent; 3. Incident Review – Reviewing survey
and drug calls to police 80 information and incidents in target area
percent.
to identify potential call-in participants
• In Hempstead, NY, drug arrests
dropped 87 percent in the year 4. Undercover Operations – Building cases
after its targeted open-air drug on the potential call-in participants
market was shut down.
5. Mobilize the Community – Gaining
• According to High Point Chief of
Police, “The most important community buy-in/identifying resources
benefit of this work is 6. Contact with the offender’s family –
reconciliation that emerges from Identify influential people in the lives of
the dialogue between the
minority community and police.” the call-in participants and visit with
• DMI eliminates open-air drug them
markets that bring violence and 7. Call-in/Notification – Determining
neighbourhood blight.
• It returns targeted neighbour- available services, facilitating the call-in
hoods to the residents. 8. Enforcement – Law enforcement and
• It improves public safety by community working together to keep
reducing crime and disorder.
the open-air drug market closed
• Implementing the DMI provides
those who are willing to change 9. Follow up – Providing call-in “Restoring a nation, one neighborhood at a time”
their lifestyles, with the support participants who accept assistance with
needed to do so.
supportive resources

2. “Why DMI” DMI in Middletown
In many neighbourhoods, drug dealers and Efforts to implement the DMI in
Drug Market Intervention drug buyers have taken over the streets, Middletown are the result of a joint effort
forcing residents to stay in their homes. These between the Butler County Prosecutor’s
The Drug Market Intervention (DMI) also drug markets are often violent and volatile, Office, Middletown Police Department,
known as the High Point Initiative was undermining safety and inhibiting Middletown Prosecutor’s Office, Freedom
pioneered in High Point, NC, in 2004. This development of local economies. Community Development Corporation and
strategy brings together drug dealers, their the Middletown Chapter of the National
families, law enforcement and criminal Open-air drug markets and drug Association for the Advancement of
justice officials, service providers and enforcement activities to curb the drug Colored People (NAACP) and Malachi
community leaders to eliminate overt trade have exacted a heavy toll on poor
community drug markets; arrest and and minority neighbourhoods. As drug
prosecute violent drug dealers; offer non- dealers exert control over public space,
violent dealers education, job placement residents withdraw.
and other assistance; and establish clear,
predictable and meaningful consequences At the same time, four decades of drug
for those who return to dealing. enforcement have resulted in criminal justice
cycles that incarcerate large numbers of
Although the drug dealers working in
young, non-violent dealers; only to have
the target areas are the focus of a
them replaced by a new group of young
considerable amount of attention during
people drawn to the perceived economic
DMI implementation, the DMI is not
rewards of drug sales.
primarily focused on changing individuals.
Rather, it is about changing neighbour-
hoods, transforming communities and
Who should be Involved
‐‐Given the success of the DMI in High Point and other
early adopter jurisdictions, in 2007 the Bureau of Justice
advancing community and economic Assistance (BJA) provided funding for Michigan State
development efforts in cities nationwide University along with American University and John Jay College Law Enforcement, the Faith Community,
of Criminal Justice to train jurisdictions in the DMI strategy. Service Providers, Prosecution,
through a partnership committed to the From November 2007 to July 2008, trainee jurisdictions
Community Leaders, Family, Associates
same goal--eliminating the open-air drug included: Baltimore(MD), Chicago(IL), Cook County(IL),
Dallas(TX), Durham(NC), Indianapolis(IN), Milwaukee(WI),
and friends impacted by drugs,
market. Probation/Parole, Government
New Haven(CT) and Ocala(FL). In July 2008, BJA solicited
requests for assistance for interested sites and accepted nine Agencies/Officials, Non-profit Agencies
–National Network for Safe Communities additional sites including; Atlanta(GA), Mesa(AZ), and Neighbourhood Groups
For more information visit: Fitchburg(MA), Memphis(TN), Middletown(OH), Ocala(FL),
www.1.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/psn/DMI/default/default.htm Peoria(IL), Providence(RI), and Seattle(WA)‐‐