Racial resentment and support for decriminalization of drug possession in the United States

Rouhani, Saba; McGinty, Emma E.; Weicker, Noelle P.; White, Rebecca Hamilton; LaSalle, Lindsay; Barry, Colleen L.; Sherman, Susan G.

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107189

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Proponents of the social conflict model explain resource allocation to police as a response to racial and class threats, whereby White and/or wealthy residents demand increased policing as the number and proximity of non-White and/or poor residents increases. Consistent with this model, a recent analysis of national public health survey data demonstrated that white respondents who exhibited racial resentment were less likely to support the decriminalization of drug possession [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Prioritization of carceral spending in U.S. cities: Development of the Carceral Resource Index (CRI) and the role of race and income inequality

Skaathun

Maviglia

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Policing, corrections, and other carceral institutions are under scrutiny for driving health harms, while receiving disproportionate resources at the expense of prevention and other services. Amidst renewed interest in structural determinants of health, roles of race and class in shaping government investment priorities are poorly understood. Methods Based on the Social Conflict Model, we assessed relationships between city racial/ economic profiles measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) and budgetary priorities measured by the novel Carceral Resource Index (CRI), contrasting investments in carceral systems with funding for health and social support across the 50 most populous cities in the United States (U.S.). Bivariate correlations, and unadjusted and adjusted polynomial regression models were used to assess the relationship between budgetary investments and population concentration at extremes in terms of income, racial/ethnic composition, and education, controlling for other demographic characteristics. Results In our sample, median CRI was -0.59 (IQR -0.64, -0.45), with only seven cities exhibiting positive CRI values. This indicates that most large U.S. cities spend more on carceral systems than on health and supportive services, combined. Adjusted polynomial models showed a convex relationship between the CRI and ICE-Education, and ICE-Race(White vs. Black)+Income, with quadratic terms that were positive and significant at p<0.05. After controlling for age, the strongest prioritization of carceral systems was observed in cities where the proportion of low-income Black residents approached or exceeded that of high-income white residents. Conclusions Municipal prioritization of carceral investments over health and social support is pervasive in the U.S and exacerbated by racial and economic disparities. The CRI offers new opportunities to understand the role of government investments as a structural determinant of health and safety. Longitudinal research is warranted to examine the relationship between budget priorities, structural racism, and health outcomes.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Prioritization of carceral spending in U.S. cities: Development of the Carceral Resource Index (CRI) and the role of race and income inequality

Skaathun

Maviglia

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…They hypothesize that people connect drug use and drug trafficking in their thinking, even if legalization could hypothetically reduce some of the power of drug traffickers. Rouhani et al (2022) found that 35% of their participants supported drug decriminalization. There was roughly equal support for the measure among black and white participants, but there was less support among Hispanic participants.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decriminalization of Drugs and the Support for Free Markets in the United States

Collins

McCorkle

2022

J. Adv. Res. Soc. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For nearly 250 years, Americans have been able to ponder on their relatively short, but extensive ideological history. The United States was founded upon a number of ideals, but arguably the most predominant and preceding has been freedom. Heavily influenced by the Enlightenment, the U.S. founders laid the propositions protecting natural rights, while limiting governmental authority to retract upon these so-called “God-given rights.” The country’s roots lie in classical liberalism, and free markets have been an integral mechanism since 1776, through the championing of private property rights and economic freedom. However, since the War on Drugs, political discourse has distorted our historical vision and validated governmental coercion in criminalizing drug consumption and production whether that was for personal pleasure or legitimate medical reasons. The paper investigates this conflict of ideology and principle through the analysis of literature and survey data. The quantitative analysis revealed a negative relationship between support for free markets and drug decriminalization. The findings imply a substantial role of two-party politics in the U.S. in determining political beliefs outside of a clear ideology particularly related to issues like the War on Drugs.

show abstract

“…Drug-related changes in sentencing laws, rather than an increase in crime, have resulted in a significant rise in incarcerations (Ghandnoosh & Anderson, 2017), with almost half of those incarcerated serving sentences for drug offenses (Carson, 2021; Zeng, 2020). Policies to eradicate illegal substances have resulted in communities of color and lower socioeconomic statuses having higher incarceration rates (Jegede et al, 2021; Rouhani et al, 2022; Tyndall, 2019; Volkow, 2021). Drug of choice impacts the collateral damage that occurs; a common example is the differential sentencing for crack versus cocaine, with much more extensive sentencing penalties for crack despite no scientific difference in the impact of use (Goulian et al, 2022).…”

Section: Substance Use Disorder Treatment Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 HARGONS, BENNER, AND WYMAN-BOOKWALTER color and lower socioeconomic statuses having higher incarceration rates (Jegede et al, 2021;Rouhani et al, 2022;Tyndall, 2019;Volkow, 2021). Drug of choice impacts the collateral damage that occurs; a common example is the differential sentencing for crack versus cocaine, with much more extensive sentencing penalties for crack despite no scientific difference in the impact of use (Goulian et al, 2022).…”

Section: Environmental Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying and addressing barriers to effective substance misuse treatment in rural settings.

Hargons,

Benner,

Wyman-Bookwalter

2023

Journal of Rural Mental Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Those seeking treatment for opioid or substance use disorder (OUD/SUD) often face obstacles, which may be exacerbated in rural areas. Barriers to treatment, such as access, stigma, and policies that no longer reflect the current needs of clients seeking treatment for OUD/SUD, are well-documented. However, barriers once engaged in treatment that impact persistence are relatively unstudied. This study sought to understand the barriers related to effective treatment provision with clients in OUD/SUD treatment, particularly those in rural settings. This exploratory qualitative study consisted of two focus groups with 18 graduate social work and counseling psychology students completing a twosemester practicum at OUD/SUD treatment facilities. The student practitioners were trained in screening, intervention, and treatment services for SUD in rural and underserved locations. Participants reflected on the barriers for clients who sought OUD/SUD treatment and the subsequent impact on treatment efficacy. Three themes emerged, including Substance Use Treatment and Criminalization Policies, Rurality, and COVID-Related Adjustments. Mitigating barriers to OUD/SUD treatment, particularly in rural communities, is important to effectively address treatment needs. Understanding the ongoing support needed for clients to address barriers once engaged in treatment is critical to treatment persistence. Recognizing and addressing the identified barriers, particularly those with macro or community-level impacts, supports the client's harm reduction, treatment, and recovery needs to better position clients for successful outcomes.

show abstract

Racial resentment and support for decriminalization of drug possession in the United States

Cited by 13 publications

References 24 publications

Prioritization of carceral spending in U.S. cities: Development of the Carceral Resource Index (CRI) and the role of race and income inequality

Prioritization of carceral spending in U.S. cities: Development of the Carceral Resource Index (CRI) and the role of race and income inequality

Decriminalization of Drugs and the Support for Free Markets in the United States

Identifying and addressing barriers to effective substance misuse treatment in rural settings.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About