EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF RETAIL MARIJUANA OUTLETS ON CRIME IN THEIR LOCALITIES AND THEIR NEIGHBORING AREAS

Abstract

With the growing legalization of marijuana across the United States, there is also increasing concern with the effect that marijuana dispensaries may have on the communities they are established in. This study focuses on the effects that these dispensaries may have on crime, not only in the immediate communities they are located in, but also the surrounding communities. Drawing from arguments from crime pattern theory, locations have certain characteristics that can promote or discourage crime from occurring in and around those locations. In order to test this, geospatial econometric methods that have not been fully explored in the field of criminology are used to test this relationship. Using data collected from the State of Washington and City of Tacoma, this study finds several interesting effects of marijuana dispensaries on crime rates, and lists several implications and future directions for both researchers and policymakers.