RDS and the prison service have recently published two research reports on mandatory drug testing. They had not persisted on doing so and had cut down on their cannabis use. Much of the research in the Home Office is carried out within the Central Drugs Prevention Unit. Evaluations are fairly long-term, for the most part about two years and most projects are due to produce their reports by the end of 1998. A pair of sites was originally selected in each location and the programme randomly allocated to an 'action' site, the other acting as a comparison.
Research includes detailed process evaluation and monitoring.
The impact research will adopt a quasi-experimental design, incorporating control schools. This is a process and impact evaluation of projects which aim to tackle drugs using community development approaches. The two projects to be studied in detail are those in Tower Hamlets and Wolverhampton. Supporting Schools Policies - 4 projects have been set up to support schools to develop policies for drugs education and the handling of drugs incidents, each project adopting a different model for support. A comparative evaluation is being carried out.