The Replacements: The Effect of Incarcerating Drug Offenders on First-Time Drug Sales Offending. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Torres, Christopher E.; D'Alessio, Stewart J.; Stolzenberg, Lisa
• Is Part Of: Crime and delinquency. Volume 67:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 449
• Page End: 471
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: drug dealing -- drug incarceration -- drug sales offending -- offender replacement -- multilevel modeling; Crime -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile delinquency -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0011128720968507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-1287

Abstract

It is proffered that incarcerating offenders will not attenuate criminal activity because new offenders are readily available to supplant those who are imprisoned. This situation, referred to as offender replacement, is mostly applicable for drug selling crimes where a market for illegal drugs exists. We hypothesize that if the incarceration of established drug offenders attenuates competition and creates a fertile environment for novice drug dealers to enter the market, a rise in the drug incarceration rate should increase the likelihood of first-time drug selling behavior. Using a multilevel modeling procedure, we find that a one-unit increase in the drug incarceration rate results in a 15% rise in the odds of a first-time offender being prosecuted for a drug-selling crime.