Drug-Related Crime

Many crimes perpetrated in the North Florida HIDTA region have a drug nexus; however, such crimes are not specifically defined as drug-related by law enforcement or public agencies operating in the HIDTA region. Drug-related crime often impacts innocent victims in the North Florida HIDTA region, and in response, law enforcement officials have implemented innovative approaches to crime control. In July 2006 an 8-year-old Jacksonville girl was killed after gunfire from a drive-by shooting penetrated the walls of her grandparents' home. In February 2007 a pregnant woman was murdered after her boyfriend stopped the vehicle in which they were riding to purchase illicit drugs and the vehicle was fired upon by a known criminal. These and similar incidents have provided public support and funding for "Operation Safe Streets" (OSS), a collaborative federal, state, and local law enforcement initiative that actively targets crimes involving firearms in areas of Jacksonville that are prone to drug-related violence. Program partnerships also have developed because of increased violence, including a partnership between OSS and the First Coast Crime Stoppers. This partnership encourages the public to provide tips to police through either telephone or e-mail communications regarding individuals who illegally carry firearms. The tips are subsequently relayed to OSS Task Force officials for immediate investigation.

An increase in the overall number of murders and violent crimes committed in the North Florida HIDTA region is of particular concern to law enforcement officials in the region. In 2006, 110 homicides were committed in the Jacksonville/Duval County metropolitan area--only one portion of the entire HIDTA region--compared with 104 homicides committed in 2005 and 92 homicides committed in 2004.² While officials are uncertain as to the cause of this upsurge, some speculate that it may have resulted from continued fighting among rival African American distributors over drug distribution territories. Moreover, officials report that many of the individuals who have been accused or convicted of committing these crimes have previously been involved in drug trafficking and that many of them are members of loosely organized gangs and criminal groups.

End Note

2. Since there is no commonly accepted definition of "drug-related crime," the murders may or may not be solely the result of drug activity; however, law enforcement investigations suggest that the vast majority of such crimes are drug-related.

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