Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics: A Critical Analysis of Claims Made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy [Paperback]

Matthew B. Robinson (Author), Renee G. Scherlen (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 2007

Uncovers how the Office of National Drug Control Policy uses and misuses statistical evidence.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book critically analyzes claims made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the White House agency of accountability in the nation's drug war. Specifically, the book examines six editions of the annual National Drug Control Strategy between 2000 and 2005 to determine if ONDCP accurately and honestly presents information or intentionally distorts evidence to justify continuing the war on drugs.

Matthew B. Robinson and Renee G. Scherlen uncover the many ways in which ONDCP manipulates statistics and visually presents that information to the public. Their analysis demonstrates a drug war that consistently fails to reduce drug use, drug fatalities or illnesses associated with drug use; fails to provide treatment for drug dependent users; and drives up the prices of drugs. They conclude with policy recommendations for reforming ONDCP's use of statistics, as well as how the nation fights the war on drugs.

"The authors have performed a valuable service to our democracy with their meticulous analysis of the White House ONDCP public statements and reports. They have pulled the sheet off what appears to be an official policy of deception using clever and sometimes clumsy attempts at statistical manipulation. This document, at last, gives us a map of the truth." -- Mike Gray, author of Drug Crazy: How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out
"Robinson and Scherlen make a valuable contribution to documenting how ONDCP fails to live up to basic standards of accountability and consistency." -- Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance

About the Author

At Appalachian State University, Matthew B. Robinson is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, and Renee G. Scherlen is Associate Professor of Political Science. Robinson is the author of several books, including Justice Blind? Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice, Second Edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (January 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 079146976X
• ISBN-13: 978-0791469767
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible book for drug-law reformers, June 21, 2007

By 

J. Johnson (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics: A Critical Analysis of Claims Made by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (Paperback)

Drug law reformers have known for years that pronouncements of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the so-called White House drug czar's office, are often less than honest, but until now their evidence has been largely anecdotal. No longer. Authors Robinson and Scherlen put a microscope to the office's official claims over several years and found it consistently lies, tells half-truths, cherry picks facts that support its conclusions, twists facts that expose its failures, withholds pertinent information if it is damaging to the office, and uses other forms of subterfuge to indicate it is winning the war on drugs when plainly it is not. To be sure this is an academic book, written for academe, but it is surprisingly well-written and powerful. The drug war has failed. This book proves it.