Slide 1 • April 21, 2023

A Natural Experiment in Reform: Analyzing drug law policy change in New York City

Jim Parsons, Ashley Schappell, Qing Wei, and Talia Sandwick

Slide 2 • April 21, 2023

Overview

Slide 3 • April 21, 2023

Study aims

To document New York City’s experience of the 2009 drug law reforms (DLR), including;

• A detailed description of DLR implementation

• Public safety implications of the reforms

• The costs and cost-savings of DLR

Slide 4 • April 21, 2023

Study Design

Implementation

• Quantitative description of judicial diversion, other diversions and sentences using administrative records

• Case file reviews (50 pre-DLR cases and 50 post-DLR cases)

• In-depth interviews with Judges, Prosecutors, and Defense Attorneys in three NYC counties

• Using a matched comparison group design to control for historical trends in arrest and charging

4

Slide 5 • April 21, 2023

Data Sources

NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services • 2006-2011 NYC arrests on felony drug and specified property charges;

charge information; conviction and sentencing; criminal history

NYS Office of Court Administration • drug court and judicial diversions; treatment type and requirements;

revocation of orders

County DA offices • Drug Treatment Alternatives to Prison (DTAP)

NYS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives • ATI data

NYC Department of Correction • Detention (pretrial and sentenced)

Slide 6 • April 21, 2023

Treatment Diversion in NYC, pre DLR

• Bronx: Treatment court, DTAP, and TASC

• Kings: Treatment court, STEP, DTAP, and TASC

• Manhattan: Treatment court and DTAP

• Queens: Treatment court, DTAP, and TASC conditional plea

• Richmond: Treatment court, DTAP, and Two-step plea

Slide 7 • April 21, 2023

5 yr Felony Drug Trends by Quarter – all cases

Slide 8 • April 21, 2023

5 yr Felony Drug Trends by Quarter - DLR eligible

Slide 9 • April 21, 2023

Case processing – pre-reform

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Case processing – post-reform

Slide 11 • April 21, 2023

Pre- and post-reform diversion, all cases

Slide 12 • April 21, 2023

Matched comparison group

• Cases from 2008 arrest cohort (pre-reform) linked to 2010 cases (post-reform)

• Propensity Score Match (nearest neighbor, without replacement)

• Matched on:

Demographics (age, gender, race)

County of arrest

Current charge (type and severity)

Criminal history (number and type of prior charges, arrests, convictions)

Slide 13 • April 21, 2023

Pre- and post-reform diversion, matched cases

Slide 14 • April 21, 2023

Pre-reform diversion: Manhattan 2008

Total treatment diversion:

72 cases29%

64%

7%

Slide 15 • April 21, 2023

Total treatment diversion:

131 cases 6%

15%

4%

76%

Post-reform diversion: Manhattan 2010

Slide 16 • April 21, 2023

Pre-reform diversion: Brooklyn 2008

Total treatment diversion:

94 cases65%

33%

2%

Slide 17 • April 21, 2023

Post-reform diversion: Brooklyn 2010

Total treatment diversion:

195 cases67%

29%

2%

2%

Slide 18 • April 21, 2023

Conclusions

Slide 19 • April 21, 2023

Acknowledgements

This project is supported by Award No. 2010-IJ-CX 0030, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Program, U.S. Department of Justice.

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.