Research supports substance abuse & violence prevention, treatment and, law & justice initiatives in the interest of public safety within the state of Washington.

Staff of the Safe and Drug-Free Communities Unit, Research, Evaluation and Development Section (RED), Local Government Division, produce a variety of research and evaluation documents that assess the impacts of drug abuse, violence and drug-related crime in Washington State, as well as evaluating the outcome of services provided, the need for future services and the most effective service delivery models. 

The Unit’s research and evaluation uses numerous data sources and often calls on the resources of other state agency partners to share and carry out this work. 

To view a list of the research reports and evaluations published by the Safe and Drug-Free Communities Unit, see the research, evaluation, and recommendations publications section of this website. For information on current topics as well as published reports and documentation, E-mail Carol A. Owens, MPA, Ed.D. or call (360) 725-3032.

Some of the other research and data sources for drug abuse, violence and drug related crime in Washington State include:

• Bureau of Justice Statistics- National criminal justice statistics
• CDC - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System- State level data monitoring prevalence of the major behavioral risks among adults associated with premature morbidity and mortality.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation– Uniform Crime Report. Statistics from local law enforcement agencies on reported crime. Data covers 95% of the nation’s population.
• Monitoring the Future- Data monitoring trends in substance use and abuse among adolescents and young adults.  Data is used in the development of the White House National Drug Control Strategy.
• Northwest Crime and Social Research: County profiles for drugs and crime.  Drugs and crime from 1990 to present. Both statewide and interactive county level data is available on this website.
• Office of Financial Management – Population Trends for Washington State
• Washington State Dept of Health – Center for Health Statistics- Annual compilations of Washington State vital statistics data
• Washington State Dept of Social and Health Services, Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and Research and Data Analysis – Washington Needs Assessment Household Survey- Statewide survey data measuring the prevalence of substance use and the need for treatment.
• Washington Traffic Safety Commission- Washington State data and information about effective traffic safety programs.
• Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies- User-friendly resources that assist communities to match cost-effective, science-based prevention program models to the specific risks identified and the resources available in the community.

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