Study Shows Increase in Crime after Los Angeles Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Shut Down
A study released earlier this week shows that crime increased when hundreds of Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries were closed in 2010 after the implementation of a new ordinance, according to CBS News. Crime in the neighborhoods surrounding the dispensaries went up after they closed, contradictory to law enforcement claims that the operation of such clinics encouraged crime.
The research study was conducted by the objective nonprofit RAND Corporation, who reviewed crime reports from the 10 days before the medical marijuana clinics were closed and from 10 days after. The resulting analysis showed a 60 percent increase in crime within three blocks of a closed dispensary. If it is true that the dispensaries are causing crime, then there should have been a noticeable decline in crime once they were closed, which was not the case. Specific dispensaries may attract crime but there is no evidence that proves that, in general, the operation of medical marijuana clinics increases crime rates in the area.
The City Council had passed a new ordinance last summer, placing stricter guidelines on the dispensaries and causing many to shut their doors. Crime was one of the leading reasons for this new ordinance. In fact, two workers were killed during dispensary robberies in June 2010. Ultimately, however, the research analysis shows no concrete correlation between crime and medical marijuana dispensaries. It is more likely that crime rates drop around active clinics due to the security cameras and security guards.
Crime rates continuously fluctuate, but crime never disappears altogether. If you have been charged with a crime in Southern California, the most effective way to avoid a conviction is to retain the services of an aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. At The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf, our experienced defense lawyers will protect your legal rights. Call us today for a consultation at (310) 277-1707.
