Marijuana Legalization In Alaska: Assessing the Potential Criminal Justice Impact

• In Event: Controversial Legislation and the Courts

Abstract

Colorado and Washington state voters passed referendums in 2012 that legalized the recreational use and retail sale of marijuana. Alaska voters will face a similar ballot question during the state primary election in August 2014. It is currently unclear what the potential impact of the proposed marijuana legalization ballot initiative would be on the Alaska criminal justice system. We examine police arrest data and court records regarding marijuana prosecutions to estimate the likely impact of the proposed marijuana legalization scheme on the Alaska criminal justice system. Specifically, we estimate 1) the number of arrests that likely could not have occurred if marijuana possession were legal (i.e., cases where marijuana possession was the only charge); and 2) the marginal effect of marijuana charges on the outcome of other concurrent charges. The implications for criminal justice policy and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Troy C. Payne, University of Alaska, Anchorage

• Jason Brandeis, University of Alaska, Anchorage