Abt Associates works on issues related to public safety and preparedness including crime prevention, law enforcement, drug trafficking, substance abuse, school violence, emergency and bioterrorism preparedness, and disaster relief. Our experts in health, criminal justice, and data collection work closely together to address complex problems confronting the country and local communities involving public safety issues. Our work has influenced a wide spectrum of public safety and preparedness programs.
Revealing potential cost advantages for a privately run prison compared with federal government operation
Insight: Abt Associates' prison privatization study for the National Institute of Justice of the U.S. Department of Justice revealed potential cost advantages for a privately run prison compared with federal government operation. The study, which examined prison performance in addition to operational cost, found that performance indicators were mixed.
Client Impact: Since contracting for operations at the Taft prison, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has engaged private prison firms more extensively to provide facilities and operations for a growing federal prisoner population. The Bureau has evolved strong monitoring and contracting procedures to maintain accountability and support good performance.
Evaluating private security screening operations performance at U.S. Airports for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Insight: Working with BearingPoint, we undertook an evaluation of the performance of private security screening operations at U.S. airports for the Transportation Security Administration. The evaluation sought to determine whether performance of private screening operations was equal to or greater than that provided by the federal government. We developed an impartial process for analyzing performance and reviewed the five commercial airports that retained private screening personnel after federalization of the nation's security screeing workforce in 2002.
Client Impact: The evaluation determined that private screened airports performed at the same or a better level than federally screened operations. The results assisted Congress and the TSA in regard to policy decisions related to the future use of private screeners at U.S. Airports
Helping planners and first responders identify resource gaps and emergency resources during a disaster
Insight: To respond effectively to a bioterrorism incident or disaster, emergency response directors and participating organizations must have real-time access to information that identifies urgently needed facilities, equipment, supplies, and personnel. Working with Geisinger Health System we developed a Web-based inventory tool and data collection process to provide access to critical information.
Client Impact: The resulting Web-based tools help planners and first responders identify resource gaps and emergency resources during a disaster. The Emergency Preparedness Resource Inventory (EPRI) tool keeps data current and ensures uninterrupted information access for stakeholders. The EPRI is available on the Agency for Healthcare and Quality (AHRQ) web site.
Completing an overview of the current state of methamphetamine use in the U.S. that includes a review of usage trends, production and trafficking, physical effects, and treatment
Insight: We interviewed law enforcement and treatment professionals, analyzed relevant national data sets, and reviewed current and past literature to gain a comprehensive understanding of the extent and impact of methamphetamine use in the U.S. The findings indicated methamphetamine is a drug that requires different treatment and enforcement models. Because it can be readily manufactured by individuals and does not follow traditional production and distribution patterns of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, it presents new challenges for law enforcement. In addition, the research shows it has protracted neurological effects and is resistant to treatment interventions.
Client Impact: The report has been distributed to members of Congress and law enforcement officials, and is a valuable resource for researchers and others who are seeking insight into the growing problem of methamphetamine use.
Developing a model to estimate the prevalence of hidden groups in the general population, such as drug users or battered women
Insight: Policymakers are often concerned with measuring the size and characteristics of hard to reach groups within the general population. To address the problem of identifying such groups, we developed a model-based approach that assesses the likelihood that members of a given population arrive at a "collection point" (a congregation point such as a jail, treatment center or shelter), and then uses this probability estimate to weight the found sample and provide a prevalence estimate for that group within the general population.
Client Impact: Clients such as the National Institute of Justice have applied the model to estimate the number of chronic drug users in given counties and then further estimate their population in the United States. The model has also been used to estimate total expenditures on illegal drugs, the average price paid for illegal drugs and the amount of illegal drugs entering the United States.
Developing an incident tracking database for the National Institute of Justice to help track and analyze student misconduct and crime in schools
Insight: Historically, schools have not systematically recorded and analyzed data on student misconduct and crime. Having such information is an effective tool for improving safety in schools. We developed the School Crime Operations Package (School COP) software to enable school administrators, police officers assigned to schools, and school district security staff to record and analyze information about incidents in a detailed geographic and sociological context.
Client Impact: The School COP program is being used in two to three thousand schools in the United States and is available to schools at no charge via the School COP website. Schools can use this software to develop more effective strategies for improving school safety.
Showing how former hospitals can be used to expand
Insight: We concluded that with advance planning and preparation, shuttered hospitals could be used to expand capacity after a mass-casualty event. We developed tools that emergency-response teams can use to prepare for meeting emergency needs, such as acquiring staff and supplies, identifying vendors, taking security precautions, and dealing with the regulatory needs.
Client Impact: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) determined that Abt Associates planning tools were immediately relevant for emergency response after Hurricane Katrina. AHRQ now distributes the tools online to help communities prepare for meeting the needs arising from mass-casualty events.
