Examining the Multifaceted Impacts of Drug Decriminalization on Public Safety, Law Enforcement, and Prosecutorial Discretion, Oregon, 2008-2024 (ICPSR 39669)
Version Date: Mar 11, 2026 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Kelsey S. Henderson, Portland State University;
Christopher M. Campbell, Portland State University;
Brian C. Renauer, Portland State University
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39669.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
This project sought to understand the effects of successive drug policy reforms in the state of Oregon. These include three changes since 2013 to reduce the enforcement and punishment of low-level drug possession. House Bill 3194 passed in 2013, which reduced mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana offenses and diverted more driving and drug-related offenses to probation. House Bill 2355 passed in 2017, which reclassified Schedule I and II possession of controlled substance (PCS), reducing these from a moderate felony to a misdemeanor. Then in 2021, M110 was implemented, downgrading certain quantities of PCS from a misdemeanor to a citation, resulting in a maximum 100 dollar fine or completed health assessment.
The researchers conducted a retrospective longitudinal analysis using statewide administrative data to assess the impacts of these drug law reforms. Measures included police stops, PCS arrests, court filings, convictions, jail and prison admissions, crime rates, drug seizures, and drug-related overdose deaths.
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Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
Smallest Geographic Unit View help for Smallest Geographic Unit
county
Restrictions View help for Restrictions
Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.
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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The study looked to gain insight into how Oregon's drug policy changes since 2013 effected system processes and community outcomes across the state. Specifically, the goals were to examine the impacts of drug legislation on: (1) law enforcement, (2) prosecution, (3) courts/sentencing, and (4) public health and safety (e.g., overdose deaths). To that end, the researchers posed one overarching research question: What are the multifaceted impacts of changes to possession of controlled substance (PCS) policy on the justice system and public health and safety?
Additionally, the following secondary research questions were posed:
- How have PCS changes impacted law enforcement practices related to drug crimes, among others?
- How have PCS changes impacted law enforcement perceptions and decision-making related to drug crimes, among others?
- How have PCS changes impacted prosecutorial charging practices related to drug crimes, among others?
- How have PCS changes impacted prosecutorial charging decisions and use of diversion programs within target counties?
- How have PCS changes impacted conviction types, drug courts, sentencing outcomes, and prison use?
- How have PCS changes impacted crime rates and overdoses?
Study Design View help for Study Design
The research team developed connections with state agency partners to acquire secondary data from multiple sources. Arrest data was acquired via the Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) by partnering with the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC). For charging, conviction, and sentencing data, the circuit court data system Odyssey was used in partnership with the Oregon Judicial Department. Data from the Oregon Department of Correction, through the partnership with the CJC, was used for community supervision and incarceration information. Drug-related overdose death information was acquired through the Oregon Health Authority. Each data source provided monthly counts of each outcome measure of interest by county.
In an attempt to provide an unbiased estimate of the effect of each legislation, interrupted time-series analysis and generalized linear mixed models were used for statewide analysis. Then eight counties were selected for further examination: Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, and Umatilla. The selection of these counties was informed by LEDS arrest data. Four urban counties and four rural counties were chosen. They were chosen because they either exhibited some of the highest rates of PCS arrests per capita, have some of the highest monthly PCS arrest averages, or both. Additionally, interviews and focus groups were conducted with law enforcement, prosecutors, and court personnel to try and better understand decision-making processes and contextualize quantitative data trends.
Time Method View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
Criminal justice entities who processed drugs and drug offenders in the state of Oregon from 2008 to 2024.
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The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
ICPSR usually offers files in multiple formats for researchers to be able to access data and documentation in formats that work well within their needs. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR’s Accessibility Center.
This dataset is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), the criminal justice archive within ICPSR. NACJD is primarily sponsored by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice: the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.