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
Slide 10 • April 21, 2023
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.