Decriminalization and police productivity: the 2018 Farm Bill’s effect on cannabis case processing time.

Proponents of cannabis policy reform argue that decriminalization enhances productivity and resource allocation for police departments. This study explores the effect of the 2018 Farm Bill, a form of cannabis decriminalization, on one measure of police productivity: cannabis case processing times. Using monthly data from the Dallas Police Department’s Record Management System, spanning the years 2014–2021, we estimated single group interrupted time series models designed to gauge whether the Farm Bill’s enactment altered cannabis case processing times in both the short run and over time. Results indicate that processing times for cannabis cases increased following the Farm Bill’s enactment, which is directly counter to the argument that decriminalization <italic>improves</italic> police productivity. This study has implications for law enforcement practices, filling a gap in the research on how decriminalization can affect police practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]