Responding to Clandestine Methamphetamine Manufacturing: A Case Study in Situational Crime Prevention

Abstract

During the 1990s, Oklahoma experienced an increase in clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in operation in the state. Identifying and responding to this problem became a law enforcement priority. Clandestine laboratories were extremely dangerous and volatile, as they posed great risks to individuals and local communities. Initial efforts to control the problem proved difficult, given the availability of all the key ingredients and supplies. In response to this problem, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD) worked to inform the Oklahoma legislature, which passed a number of laws aimed at affecting clandestine manufacturing. This case study explores Oklahoma’s legislative responses to methamphetamine manufacturing and retroactively examines whether these laws fit within the situational crime prevention perspective.