The Impact of Low Priority Laws on Criminal Activity: Evidence from California

Abstract

We examine the impact of low priority initiatives on criminal behavior. Low priority initiatives mandate that minor marijuana possession offenses be the lowest enforcement priority for police officers. Localities pass these laws because they believe if officers devote fewer resources towards minor marijuana crimes, more resources will be available to deter more serious crimes. Using data from California, we find that jurisdictions that adopted low priority laws experienced a reduction in arrests for misdemeanor marijuana offenses. However, we do not find a significant effect of enacting a low priority initiative on the crime rate or clearance rate of felony offenses.