Impact of drug legislation on crime reduction: a systematic literature review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of predominantly non-randomized, observational policy evaluation studies
PubMed 42245350 · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1806036
What was done
Authors conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of studies published between 2000 and 2026 indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. The review examined the effects of different drug regulatory models—ranging from punitive approaches to harm reduction and decriminalization—on crime-related outcomes, alongside publication trends and geographic distribution.
What was found
No numerical estimates, study counts, or effect sizes are reported in the abstract. Qualitatively, decriminalization and harm reduction frameworks were associated with decreases in drug-related arrests, especially among people who use drugs, without observed increases in violent or property crime across most contexts. Punitive approaches were linked to limited or counterproductive outcomes, including elevated violence, recidivism, and persistent racial disparities in arrests. The bulk of identified studies originated from North America and Eastern Europe, with academic output rising substantially after 2018.
Why it matters
It aggregates international policy data suggesting that public health and harm reduction models mitigate criminal justice system harms without driving up broader crime rates.
Limits
The abstract reports no quantitative metrics or total count of included studies. The evidence base is geographically concentrated in North America and Eastern Europe, limiting generalizability to other legal frameworks. As an evaluation of legislative changes, the underlying evidence relies on observational policy data vulnerable to confounding by local policing practices and socioeconomic variables.