The Interview Guide

OPERATION INTERCEPT

The Multiple Consequences of Public Policy
By Lawrence A. Gooberman

APPENDIX II

The Interview Guide

The interview guide is designed to elicit the respondent's description of his own attitudinal and behavioral responses to the Operation Intercept policy and the resultant marihuana shortage. Further, questions were included in the interview that would help to locate these responses in terms of the personal and social conditions and involvements of the respondents. This was accomplished via questioning in the following "major areas of inquiry":

1. Background

Age - Neighborhood of residence - Employment - Education Drug use history.

General changes in drug use patterns, as perceived by the respondent over the past year.

Specify the drug use pattern of the respondent and associates prior to the summer of 1969: types of drugs used, frequency of use (each type of drug individually), price and availability of various drugs in the respondent's neighborhood. Also, observations of other drug-using groups in respondent's neighborhood, covering same questions and including a description of persons in such groups, including age, employment, etc.

Did respondent ever use opiated hashish?

2. Supply

Did respondent experience and/or observe a marihuana shortage?

If so, specify period of time.

Was there a shortage of other drugs? Which drugs? When?

Was respondent able to get marihuana? If so, what was the cost?

Compare availability and cost to time prior to summer of 1969.

3. Drug Use

What drugs did respondent use, if any, during the Operation Intercept era?

What drugs did friends use in the neighborhood? In other areas?

What type of drug use did he/she observe in other groups?

What was the cost and availability of drugs other than marihuana? Did respondent observe any other effects of the marihuana shortage?

How do these drug use patterns compare to the drug-related activities (use and distribution) observed by the respondent prior to the summer of 1969?

4. The Policy

How does respondent explain the marihuana shortage?

Is the government mentioned?

What role did the respondent think the government played in relation to the drug situation during this period? Why?

Did respondent ever hear of Operation Intercept?

What was the government's intention as perceived by respondents

5. The Future

What does respondent think would happen if the marihuana shortage reoccurred in the near future? Why?