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American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 2000 Dec;90(12):1933–1936. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.12.1933

Trends in crime and the introduction of a needle exchange program.

M A Marx 1, B Crape 1, R S Brookmeyer 1, B Junge 1, C Latkin 1, D Vlahov 1, S A Strathdee 1
PMCID: PMC1446444  PMID: 11111271

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether introduction of a needle exchange program would be associated with increased crime rates. METHODS: Trends in arrests were compared in program and nonprogram areas before and after introduction of a needle exchange program in Baltimore. Trends were modeled and compared via Poisson regression. RESULTS: No significant differences in arrest trends emerged. Over the study period, increases in category-specific arrests in program and nonprogram areas, respectively, were as follows: drug possession, 17.7% and 13.4%; economically motivated offenses, 0.0% and 20.7%; resistance to police authority, 0.0% and 5.3%; and violent offenses, 7.2% and 8.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of association of overall and type-specific arrest data with program implementation argues against the role of needle exchange programs in increasing crime rates.

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Selected References

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