Effect of Syringe Exchange Programs on Crime: Evidence from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• In Event: Drugs and Alcohol

Abstract

Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) provide sterile syringes and a safe disposal site to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases such as HIV, Hep B, or C that are caused by needle sharing among injection drug users. These programs remain controversial because of the mixed evidence on health outcomes, and the negative social perception of these services' effect on drug use and crime. Despite this, US government funding can reach up to $9.75 million per year. The objective of this study is to estimate the causal effect of SEPs on crime incidents using the plausibly exogenous variation in the rollout and schedule of SEPs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I create a dataset of SEP locations with their specific start dates and weekly hours of operation, and merge it with crime incident reports from the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center. This novel dataset allows me to implement an event study research design using the temporal and spatial variation from the SEPs' location, open date, and weekday of service. I find that SEPs decrease daily incidents of possession, distribution, assault, and burglary. I find no effect on daily incidents of theft, robbery, or homicide. These results add to the evidence on benefits from SEPs and emphasize the importance of analyzing other outcomes.

Author

• Haylee Marie Sipos, University at Buffalo
  Presenting Author