Progressive Drug Policies in the U.S. and U.K - Lessons Learned

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

This panel presents five research papers that examine progressive drug policy approaches in the U.S. and U.K. The policies that are examined all share a common theme of lessening the use of criminal sanctions, punishment, and system involvement for defendants caught or accused of possessing illicit drugs. The most extreme of these policy approaches occurs in the state of Oregon (U.S) which decriminalized low level possession of controlled substances from a criminal misdemeanor to a non-criminal violation. Oregon’s decriminalization lasted from 2021-2024 and was repealed amid legislative pressure to re-criminalize, but the new policy includes an option for “deflection” of possession defendants away from traditional criminal justice punishment. Two papers examine the lessons learned from a three-year evaluation of Oregon’s decriminalization effort. A third paper models the potential impact of Oregon’s new deflection policy using data and research out of the U.K. on similar strategies. The final two papers center on an empirical examination of police-led diversion throughout the U.K.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Criminal Policy, Criminalization, Policy of Criminal Sanctions (Criminal Law Making Policy WG)

Chair

• Brian Renauer, Portland State University

Individual Presentations

• Oregon’s Drug Policy Changes: Lessons Learned for Researchers and Policy Makers - Kelsey Henderson, Portland State University; Christopher M. Campbell, Portland State University; Brian Renauer, Portland State University

• Developing a Multi-System Model to Engage Substance Use Disorder Population in Treatment - Brian Renauer, Portland State University; Christopher M. Campbell, Portland State University; Kelsey Henderson, Portland State University

• Learning from Europe: The effects of decriminalized drug possession in US state of Oregon and a move toward out-of-court disposals of England & Wales - Christopher M. Campbell, Portland State University; Kelsey Henderson, Portland State University; Brian Renauer, Portland State University

• Understanding the Mechanisms, Contexts, and Outcomes of Police Drug Diversion Schemes in England - Mark Monaghan, Loughborough University; Alex Stevens, University of Kent