Trends in crime and the introduction of a needle exchange program.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Marx
M A
MA
Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Md. 21205, USA.
Crape
B
B
Brookmeyer
R S
RS
Junge
B
B
Latkin
C
C
Vlahov
D
D
Strathdee
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends