Justice Research and Statistics Association 720 7th Street, NW, Third Floor Washington, DC 20001

Special Drug Session: Overcoming Challenges in Collecting

and Analyzing Drug-Related Criminal Justice System Data

Introduction and

Overview of JRSA Project

Erin J. Farley Stan Orchowsky

The Evolving Legal Status of Marijuana

Source:governing.com

Project Objective

•  Gain a better understanding of the availability of data both within and across 11 states by:

– Collecting, assessing, and analyzing data from the

states (specifically, the SACs) related to the impact of marijuana legalization and criminalization on CJ resources

ThreeAreasofFocus

1.  Impact of marijuana legalization (and decrim) on states that had legalized marijuana

2.  Impact on CJ resources on border states 3.  Impact of marijuana legalization (and decrim)

on drug trafficking through northern and southwest border states

Selected States

•  Arizona •  California •  Colorado •  Idaho •  Kansas •  Nebraska

•  Nevada •  Oklahoma •  Oregon •  Utah •  Washington

Assessment of Data Availability

•  April 2015: worksheets sent to 11 SACs – Type of data available (qual/quant) – Availability of:

•  Mrj specific measures •  Measures at state, county, local level •  Frequency: Annually, quarterly, monthly

– Time frame of data – Level of data reliability

•  Nine worksheets were returned

JRSA Data Request •  Occurred appx. 4 months later •  Subset of measures listed in worksheet

– Lots of overlap across three areas of interest •  Measures requested from range of sources

– Police/LE – DA’s Office/Criminal Court – Corrections

Reasons for Lack of Data Availability

(See Table 3.1) •  Two general areas

1.  Data did not exist because it was not tracked 2.  Data was tracked/collected but was not readily

available because it was not being reported in any systematic way to a centralized agency

•  Other reasons – Lack of staff and time

General Assessment of Data Utility

•  Characteristics and Interpretability – Format of data

•  Three SACs provided data in form of tables and data extracts

•  One SAC provided data in the form of an extract •  Three SACs provided data in form of tables

– Missing data

– Available data points •  Number of data points and range of time

Assessment of Data Utility -> RQ 1.  Impact within state

–  Greater flexibility with the data provided 2.  Impact on Border States

–  Regional/County level data –  Data timeframe that fits with COs change in legal status

•  Recreational use/Recreation sale 3.  Drug Trafficking through northern/southwest border

states –  Drug seizure/trafficking data at the state and local level

•  Indicators for amount of drugs seized? –  Red flag à validity and reliability issues!!! –  Proxy: Number of arrests associated with marijuana seizures (2 SACs

provided this information)

Conclusion •  Answering relevant research questions required data on

a wide range of indicators –  Starting with reliable and valid baseline measures

•  There are numerous challenges in obtaining and utilizing the data –  Data may not be systematically collected and compiled

•  Lack of mrj specific measures –  Data may be collected but not in a format suitable for

research analysis •  Administrative/operational data

–  Reluctance to release data to researchers –  Lack of staff, time and resources at the local and state level

to collect and clean data

Questions of Data Access Challenges 3:30pm-5:00pm

Questions

•  To what extent is the impact of marijuana legalization an important issue for your state?

– Has this changed in recent years and do you see it changing in the future?

Questions •  How much interest in/demand for data related to

specific types of drugs (marijuana, meth, opioids) is there in your state? – To what degree can your state’s data systems address

these needs?

•  What are the obstacles to collecting data on specific types of drugs in your state? – What changes/improvements would be required to

collect these data?

Questions

•  To what extent is the impact of marijuana legalization an important issue for your state?

– Has this changed in recent years and do you see it changing in the future?

Questions

•  In the summary report you will note many states initially reported the availability of data that ultimately could not be provided.

– What do you think were the reasons for the difference between available and reported data?

Questions

•  What recommendations would you make to JRSA, BJS, and NIJ regarding the study of drugs in general, and marijuana in particular in your state? What could these agencies do to facilitate the collection and analysis of data in your state?