The Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Jail Populations in Washington State

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Initiative 502 was passed in 2012 by the citizens of Washington State, which legalized the growth, production, sale and possession of marijuana. Advocates of legalization of marijuana expected that it would have impact on the many criminal justice institutions and their practices. It is also hypothesized that the legalization of marijuana would decrease the jail population and disproportionate incarceration of minorities because the deprioritization of marijuana related criminality in policing. In our paper we examine statewide jail use data to determine whether that reduction has come to pass.

Authors

• Xiaohan Mei, Washington State University

• Duane Leslie Stanton, Washington State University

• Dale Willits, Washington State University

• Mary Stohr, Washington State University