Cannabis Reform and Arrest Rates: A 15-Year Analysis of U.S. Counties

• In Event: Roundtable: Drugs and Guns: Recent Reforms

Abstract

Despite continued reform efforts across the U.S., there is still a lack of consensus regarding the influence of cannabis policy on crime. This gap is, in part, a reflection of wide variation in measurement, units of analysis, regional scope, and span of time included.

To address this gap, the current study uses a combination of ACS, NIBRS, Census, and primary data to examine changes in cannabis policy alongside shifts in arrest rates and demographic factors over time. Interestingly, the extent to which cannabis is related to arrest rates seems to depend on the "level" of legalization and the offense type.

Author

• Leanne Confer, Georgia Southern University