DAWN: A Second Look—Its Impact on Minorities and Public Policy

Abstract

Though various indicators yield different statistics about the minority component of drug problems, Blacks and Hispanics dominate opiate statistics of major data systems. This dominance increases when major consequences-chemotherapy, arrest and, especially, imprisonment-are measured. Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) figures were cited as the exception, but this was due to weaknesses in DAWN reporting and its analysis by experts. Excluding unreliable and unrepresentative crisis center mentions, estimating the Hispanic component of “White” DAWN mentions, and separating opiates from other drugs, the DAWN statistics are very similar to CODAP and arrest statistics. “Hard drugs” remain an essentially minority phenomena.