Rising crime, overdoses reflect pre-pandemic trends – not drug decriminalization – PSU study finds

Rising crime, overdoses reflect pre-pandemic trends – not drug decriminalization – PSU study finds

Multnomah County Sheriff's officials seized about $400,000 worth of fentanyl powder and pills on July 25, 2023, marking the agency's largest such seizure at that time. (Courtesy of Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)For years, critics have blamed Oregon’s 2020 ballot measure that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs for the state’s rising crime and overdose rates. But a new study suggests otherwise.  Researchers from Portland State…

Rising crime, overdoses reflect pre-pandemic trends – not drug decriminalization – PSU study finds - Salem Reporter

For years, critics have blamed Oregon’s 2020 ballot measure that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs for the state’s rising crime and overdose rates. But a new study suggests otherwise.  Researchers from Portland State University’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice released their final report examining the impacts of years of major drug policy changes between 2008 and 2024 on crime and drug-related deaths. The report…