1

RR

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

TheNewYorkPoliceDepartmentunderMayordeBlasiomadeslightly
moretotalmarijuanapossessionarrestsinMarchthroughAugustof2014
thaninthesamesixmonthsin2013underMayorBloomberg.
1

Inthefirsteightmonthsof2014,86%ofthepeoplearrestedfor
marijuanapossessionwereblacksandLatinos,10%werewhites,and4%
wereallothers.

TheNYPDcontinuestoarrestsblacksat7timestherateofwhitesand
Latinosatnearly4timestherateofwhites.Butyoungwhitesuse
marijuanaathigherratesthanyoungblacksandLatinos.

March April May June July Aug
Last 6
months
total of
MJ
Poss
Arrests
MJ
Poss
Arrests
of
Blacks
&
Latinos
MJ
Poss
Arrests
of
Whites
& all
others
2013
Bloomberg
2,438 2,578 2,769 2,318 2,294 2,450 14,847 12,852 1,995
2014
de Blasio
2,658 2,619 2,689 2,347 2,444 2,568 15,324 13,212 2,112

Asinpreviousyears,in2014peoplearecommonlyarrestedwhen
marijuanaisfoundintheirpocketsandpossessions,afterafriskandsearch,
orwhentheyareorderedbythepolicetoemptytheirpockets.

Mostpeoplearrestedformarijuanapossessionwereyoung:
29%wereteenagers,56%wereunder26,and80%wereyoungerthan36.

RACE,CLASS&MARIJUANAARRESTS
INMAYORDEBLASIO'STWONEWYORKS
THENYPD'SMARIJUANAARRESTCRUSADECONTINUESIN2014
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October2014
MarijuanaArrestResearchProject,NewYork,NY/http://marijuana-arrests.com/ marijana.arrests@gmail.com
DrugPolicyAlliance,NewYork,NYhttp://www.drugpolicy.org/ ny@drugpolicy.org

LowestlevelMarijuanaPossessionArrestsinNYC

74%ofthepeoplearrestedformarijuanapossessionin2014havenever
beenconvictedofevenasinglemisdemeanor,andonly11%havea
misdemeanorconviction.

ThepeopletheNYPDarrestsformarijuanapossessionarenotcriminals;
theyareordinaryhighschoolandcollegestudentsandyoungworkers.
2

Themostseriousconsequencesofthesearrestsarethepermanent,
unexpungeablecriminalarrestrecordsnoweasilyfoundontheinternetby
employers,landlords,banks,creditagencies,occupationallicensing
boards,andschools.
3

CandidatedeBlasiosaidduringhismayoralcampaign:
"Lowlevelmarijuanapossessionarrestshavedisastrousconsequencesfor
individualsandtheirfamilies.Thesearrestslimitonesabilitytoqualifyfor
studentfinancialaidandundermineonesabilitytofindstablehousingand
goodjobs.Whatsmore,recentstudiesdemonstrateclearracialbiasinarrests
forlowlevelpossession....Thispolicyisunjustandwrong."
4

Nonetheless,inthefirsteightmonthsof2014,severeracialandclass
disparitiespersisted.Whiteandwealthierneighborhoodshavemuch
lowerratesofmarijuanaarrests;lowerincomeblackandLatino
neighborhoodshavemuchhigherratesofmarijuanaarrests.

Thetwoneighborhoodswiththelowestrateofmarijuanaarrestsare
ForestHillsinQueens(pct112)andtheUpperEastSideofManhattan(pct19).
ForestHillshasarateof8marijuanapossessionarrestsper100,000
residents;theneighborhood'sresidentsare16%blacksandLatinos,84%whites
andallothers,andthemedianfamilyincomeis$67,000.
5

TheUpperEastSide'srateis10marijuanaarrestsper100,000residents.
Theprecinct'sresidentsare10%blacksandLatinos,90%whitesandothers,and
themedianfamilyincomeis$111,000
Thetwoneighborhoodswiththehighestrateofmarijuanaarrestsare
WashingtonHeights(pct33)andEastHarlemNorth(pct25).
3

WashingtonHeightshasarateof882marijuanapossessionarrestsper
100,000residents(110timeshigherthaninForestHills).
EastHarlem'srateofmarijuanapossessionarrestsisanastonishing1128
per100,000residents(110timeshigherthanintheUpperEastSide).
WashingtonHeights'residentsare85%blacksandLatinos,15%whites
andothers(almosttheexactoppositeofForestHills'),andthemedianfamily
incomeis$34,000,onehalfofthefamilyincomeinForestHills.
EastHarlem'sresidentsare88%blacksandLatinos,12%whitesandall
others(closetothereverseoftheUpperEastSide),andthemedianfamily
incomeis$28,000(aquarterofthefamilyincomeontheUpperEastSide).
Theseradicallydifferentpolicingpatternsarealsotrueforthe20
neighborhoodswiththelowestratesofmarijuanapossessionarrests,andfor
the20neighborhoodswiththehighestratesofmarijuanapossessionarrests.
Theracialandclassdisparitiesbetweenthetwogroupsofneighborhoods
arestark.Onemightthinkofthemas"TheTwoNewYorks."(Seethetwotableson
pages1112ofthisreport.)
The20neighborhoodswiththelowestarrestratesaverage39marijuana
possessionarrestsper100,000residents.
The2,300,000residentsinthese20lowarrestrateneighborhoodsare
24%blacksandLatinos,75%whitesandallothers,andtheaveragefamily
incomeoftheirneighborhoodsis$75,000.
The20neighborhoodswiththehighestratesaverage498possession
arrestsper100,000twelvetimesmorethanthe20precinctswiththelowest
ratesofmarijuanaarrests.
The1,900,000NewYorkerswholiveinthesehighmarijuanaarrestrate
neighborhoodare89%blacksandLatinos,11%whitesandothers,andthe
averagefamilyincomeoftheirneighborhoodsis$34,000.
Oneprecinct,EastNewYorkinBrooklyn(#75),whichhas89%blackand
Latinoresidents,had1,142marijuanapossessionarrestsinthefirsteight
monthsof2014.Thisismorearreststhaninall20ofthelowestmarijuana
arrestrateprecinctscombined(841totalarrests).
4

Anotherprecinct,MorrisHeightsintheBronx(#44),whichis95%black
andLatinoresidents,had727possessionarrestsmorethanin19ofthe20
lowestmarijuanaarrestrateprecinctscombined(719totalmarijuanaarrests).

RACETRUMPSCLASS

Onemightthinkthatneighborhoodswithsimilarsocialclassorfamily
incomeswouldhavesimilarratesofmarijuanaarrests,butthatisnotnecessary
thecase.
ConsiderthreeQueensneighborhoodswithverysimilarmedianfamily
incomes.InFlushing(pct109)themedianfamilyincomeis$58,000;inFresh
Meadows(pct107)itis$58,000,andinSt.AlbansandSpringfieldGardens(pct,
113)itis$59,000.
Flushing,withonly19%blackandLatinoresidents,hasamarijuanaarrest
rateof89perhundredthousandresidents.FreshMeadowsis32%blacksand
Latinosandhasarateof96marijuanaarrests.
ButtheSt.Albansneighborhoodis93%blackandLatinoresidentsand
hasamarijuanaarrestrateof396fourtimesthatofFlushingandoverthree
timesthatofFreshMeadows.FormarijuanaarrestsintheseNYPDprecincts
withnearlyidenticalfamilyincomes,racetrumpsclass.
OrconsiderthetwoBrooklynneighborhoodsofBensonhurst(pct62)and
CrownHeights(pct77).InBensonhurstthemedianfamilyincomeis$44,000
andinCrownHeightsitis$45,000.ButBensonhurst,whichhasonly14%black
andLatinoresidents,hasamarijuanaarrestrateof41per100,000residents.
AndCrownHeights,whichhas77%blackandLatinoresidents,hasamarijuana
arrestrateof345overeighttimestherateofBensonhurst.Again,race
trumpsclass.
Orconsiderprecinct28,CentralHarleminManhattan,versusprecinct66,
BoroughParkinBrooklyn.Bothneighborhoodshavemedianfamilyincomesof
$39,000.BoroughPark,with15%blackandLatinoresidents,hasamarijuana
"Becausethetruthis,thestateofourcity,aswefindittoday,isaTaleofTwo
Citieswithaninequalitygapthatfundamentallythreatensourfuture."
MayorBilldeBlasio,StateoftheCityRemarks,February10,2014.
http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/045-14/state-the-city-remarks-mayor-de-blasio-prepared-delivery#/0

5

possessionarrestrateof44,whileCentralHarlem,with78%blackandLatino
residents,hasamarijuanaarrestrateof328seventimeshigherthanBorough
Parks'rate.Heretoo,racetrumpsclass.
Itisworthemphasizingthatwhitesusemarijuanaatthesameorhigher
ratesthanblacksandLatinos;andthatwhiteyoungpeople(age1825)use
marijuanaathigherratesthanyoungblacksandLatinos.
6

ItisalsoworthrepeatingthatmostoftheNYPD'smarijuanapossession
arrestshavebeenmadewhenpolicefoundmarijuanaduringasearchorwhen
policeofficersorderedpeopletoemptytheirpockets.
Finally,itisimportanttonotethatthesimplepossessionofseveneighths
ofanounceofmarijuanahasnotbeenacrimeinNewYorkStatesince1977.By
NewYorkStateLaw,simplemarijuanapossessionisaviolation,chargeablewith
amandatoryappearancecriminalcourtsummons,andcarryinga$100fine.
Nonetheless,theNYPDisontracktomake28,000to30,000ofthese
arrestsandjailingsin2014,andNewYorkCitycontinuestomakemore
marijuanapossessionarreststhananycityintheworld.

Thereissomegoodnewstoreportandsomeexceptions.Forexample,
precinct45intheBronx,whichincludesthehugeCoopCityapartment
complex,has58%blackandLatinoresidents;butitisamongthe20precincts
withthelowestratesofmarijuanapossessionarrestsinNewYorkCity,andis
theonlyoneofthe20lowestarrestrateneighborhoodsthatismajorityblacks
andLatinos.Whyarethepossessionarrestssolow?BecauseCoopCityisnot
patrolledbytheNYPDbutbyitsownpoliceforce,theCoopCityDepartmentof
PublicSafety.
7

Ontheotherhand,Manhattanprecinct13,whichincludesthehuge
StuyvesantTownandPeterCooperapartmentcomplex,is85%whitesand
others,only15%blacksandLatinos.ButStuyvesantTown'sprecincthasthe
27thhighestrateofmarijuanapossessionarrestsandispatrolledbytheNYPD.
TherearesomeotherexceptionslikeCoopCityandStuyvesantTown,
andtheydodeservecloserstudy.Buttherearenotmanyofthem.NewYork
Cityhasatotalof76neighborhoodprecincts.In40ofthemthemajorityofthe
residentsarewhitesandotherraces,mostlyAsians.In36ofthemthemajority
oftheresidentsareblacksandLatinos.
6

Inthefirst8monthsof2014,inthe40precinctswherethemajorityof
residentsarewhiteandothers,policemadeatotalof3984lowestlevel
marijuanapossessionarrests.
Atthesametime,injustsixprecinctswherethemajorityoftheresidents
areblacksandLatinos,policemade4366marijuanapossessionarrestsmore
arreststhaninall40ofthemajoritywhiteprecinctscombined.
(Thesixprecinctsare:#75(EastNewYork,BK),#44(MorrisHeights,BX),#33
(WashingtonHeights,M),#52(BedfordPark,BX),#34(InwoodM),#46(UniversityHeights,BX).
ItseemsfairtoconcludethatmostwhiteNewYorkersdonotknowwhatpolicingislikeinthese
sixneighborhoodsandtheotherslikethem.)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Therearenewdetailsinthisreportabouttheextremeracialand
classbiasoftheNYPD'smarijuanapossessionarrestsin2014.
Butthepatterniswellknownandwidelyrecognized.
InJanuary2014,PresidentObamatoldtheNewYorker:
Middleclasskidsdontgetlockedupforsmokingpot,andpoorkidsdo.And
AfricanAmericankidsandLatinokidsaremorelikelytobepoorandlesslikelytohave
theresourcesandthesupporttoavoidundulyharshpenalties....Itsimportantfor
societynottohaveasituationinwhichalargeportionofpeoplehaveatonetimeor
anotherbrokenthelawandonlyaselectfewgetpunished.
8

InitsJuly28,2014editorial,"TheInjusticeofMarijuanaArrests,"calling
fortheendoffederalmarijuanaprohibition,TheNewYorkTimeswrote:
"Americasfourdecadewarondrugsisresponsibleformanycasualties,butthe
criminalizationofmarijuanahasbeenperhapsthemostdestructivepartofthatwar....
Thesheervolumeoflawenforcementresourcesdevotedtomarijuanaisbadenough.
Whatmakesthesituationfarworseisracialdisparity....
[Nationally]about6percentofmarijuanacasesleadtoafelonyconviction;the
restareoftentreatedasmisdemeanorsresultinginfinesorprobation,ifthecharges
arentdismissedcompletely.Evenso,everyarrestendsuponapersonsrecord....
Particularlyinpoorerminorityneighborhoods,whereyoungmenaremore
likelytobeoutsideandrepeatedlytargetedbylawenforcement,thesearrests
accumulate.Beforelongapersoncanhaveanextensivecriminalhistorythat
consistsonlyofmarijuanamisdemeanorsanddismissedcases.Thatcriminalhistory
cantheninfluencetheseverityofpunishmentforafutureoffense,however
insignificant."
9

Inanopedcolumnin2012,formerMayorEdKochwrote:
AgreatinjusticeisbeingperpetratedbymembersoftheNewYorkCityPolice
Departmentonthepeopleofthiscity....Iurgeallfivedistrictattorneystopublicly
statethattheywillnotprosecuteanyonechargedwithmarijuanapossessionfor
personaluseotherthanforaviolation.
Thehideouspartofallofthisisthatstudiesshowthatwhitesarethegreater
usersofmarijuana,notblacksorHispanics.ItisblackandHispanicyouthswhoare
beingarrestedandendupwithcriminalrecords,destroyingmanyoftheiralready
limitedopportunitiesforgettingjobsandachievingabetterlife.Thisisunacceptable
inasocietythatbelievesitisdevotedtojusticeandfairness.
10

InaJuly2014lettertotheNewYorkTimes,IraGlasser,presidentofthe
DrugPolicyAllianceandformerexecutivedirectoroftheAmericanCivil
LibertiesUnionsaid:
YourJuly16editorialASensibleMarijuanaPolicyinBrooklynapplaudsthe
Brooklyndistrictattorney,KennethP.Thompson,fordecidingnolongertoprosecute
mostcasesinwhichpeoplehavebeenarrestedforpossessionofsmallamountsof
marijuana,andtofocusonseriouscrimesinstead.
NewYorkCityspolicecommissioner,WilliamJ.Bratton,respondedtoMr.
Thompsonsdecisionbyasserting:Inordertobeeffective,ourpoliceofficersmust
enforcethelawsoftheStateofNewYorkuniformlythroughoutallfiveboroughsof
thecity.Accordingly,theKingsCountypolicychangewillnotresultinanychangesin
thepoliciesandproceduresoftheN.Y.P.D.
InlightofthefactthatthePoliceDepartmenthasneverbeforearrestedpeople
uniformlyforpossessionofsmallamountsofmarijuanainsteadarrestingmostly
blackandLatinoyouthsintheirneighborhoods,andmakingvirtuallynosimilararrests
inpredominantlywhiteneighborhoods,whereatleastasmuchmarijuanaispossessed
andusedMr.Brattonsannouncementcomesaswelcome,ifsurprising,news.
WhenmightweexpectthePoliceDepartmenttoactuallydothat?
Giventhewelldocumentedcontinuingraciallybiasedpatternofmarijuana
arrests,itwouldappearthatwhatMr.Brattonreallymeansisthathegetstodecide
whomtoarrest,butMr.Thompsoncantdecidewhomtoprosecute.Andwheredoes
MayorBilldeBlasio,whocampaignedagainstsuchbiasedlawenforcementandwho
appointedMr.Bratton,standonthis?
11

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
8

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/stopandfrisk-and-the-mari_b_1626941.html

InJuly2014,MayordeBlasiowasquotedsaying:IntermsoftheNYPD,lookatthe
numbers:thelowestlevelofmarijuanaarrestsaredown....Thelowestlevelmarijuana
\

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2013 MayorBloomberg 2014 MayordeBlasio
LowestLevelMarijuanaPossessionArrestsin
NewYorkCity,2013and2014,byMonth
Moreinchesofsnowin
JanFeb2014inNYC
thanin145years
since1870
InJuly2014,MayordeBlasiowasquotedsaying:IntermsoftheNYPD,lookatthenumbers:the
lowestlevelofmarijuanaarrestsaredown....Thelowestlevelmarijuanaarrestsaredown.
12

Isthisaccurate?Let'slookatthenumbers.
Inthe12monthsof2013,theNYPDaveraged79marijuanapossessionarrestsaday.Inthe8
monthsof2014,theNYPDaveraged81marijuanapossessionarrestsaday.2014surpassesslightly
2013indailymarijuanaarrests.
Further,asthefrontcoverofthisreportshows,inMarchthroughAugust2014thelastsix
monthsforwhichdataiscurrentlyavailabletheNYPDmadeslightlymorelowestlevelmarijuana
arreststhaninthesameperiodin2013:14,847arrestsin2013versus15,324arrestsin2014.Again,
2014surpassesslightly2013.
However,whencomparingarrestsinthefirsteightmonthsofbothyears,wefindtheNYPD
made396moremarijuanaarrestsin2013thanin2014(20,080versus19,684).Whyslightlymorein
2013?BecauseofthelownumbersofmarijuanaarrestsinJanuaryandFebruaryof2014,thefirsttwo
monthsofthenewmayoraladministration.
WerethemarijuanaarrestsdowninJanuaryandFebruary2014becauseofpoliciesofthenew
administration?No.ThearrestsweredownbecauseinJanuaryandFebruaryof2014NewYorkCity
wasblanketedwithrecordbreakinglevelsofsnowfall.
Infact,accordingtotheU.S.weatherservice'srecords,NewYorkCityreceivedmoreinchesof
snowinJanuaryandFebruaryof2014thaninanyyearsince1870moresnowthaninanyJanuary
andFebruaryin145years.

13
Ineffectittookwhatinsurancecompaniescall"anactofGod"toslow
downtheNYPD'smarijuanapossessionarrestsin2014.Andthenonlyfortwomonths.Sincethenthe
numbersoftheNYPD'slowestlevelmarijuanaarrestshavebeenup.
*
*
* *
*
*
*
*
*=highermonthlyarrests
9

1213

2014
JanAug
2013
JanAug
County Bronx 28% 26%
Kings 30% 32%
NewYork 23% 22%
Queens 16% 16%
Richmond 3% 3%
Gender Male 90% 90%
Female 10% 10%
Ageat
Arrest
1620 29% 29%
2125 27% 27%
2629 13% 11%
3034 11% 11%
All1634 80% 77%
Race
Ethnicity
Black 49% 50%
Hispanic 37% 36%
White 10% 10%
Asian 3% 3%
Other 1% 1%
Arrest
Priors
None 32% 30%
Conviction
Priors
None 74% 72%
Misdemonly 11% 11%

NewYorkCityArrestPercentages
In2014&2013(JanuaryAugust)for
CriminalPossessionOfMarijuana(NYSPL221.10)
Source:NewYorkStateDivisionofCriminalJusticeServices(DCJS)computerized
CriminalHistorysystem.Arrestsage16andolderwheremarijuanapossessionis
thehighestoronlycriminalcharge.Thepriorsincludeanymisdemeanorcharge.

HarryG.Levine,SociologyDepartment,QueensCollege,CityUniversityofNew
York,andTheMarijuanaArrestResearchProject.October 2014.
10

Onthewebat:
http://marijuana-arrests.com/docs/The-scandal-of-racist-marijuana-arrests--TheNation--Nov2013.pdf
and
http://www.thenation.com/article/176915/scandal-racist-marijuana-arrests-and-what-do-about-it?page=full

From"TheScandalofRacistMarijuanaArrests"inTheNation,Nov18,2013
Whyaremarijuanaarrestssoraciallyskewed?
Suchdramaticandwidespreadracialdisparities[throughouttheU.S.]areclearlynotthe
productofpersonalprejudiceorracismonthepartofindividualpoliceofficers.Thisisnota
problemoftrainingorsupervisionorroguesquadsorbadapples.Itsasystemicproblem,aformof
institutionalracismcreatedandadministeredbypeopleatthehighestlevelsoflawenforcement
andgovernment.
Mostpeoplearrestedformarijuanapossessionwerenotsmokingit:theytypicallyhadasmall
amounthiddenintheirclothing,vehicleorpersonaleffects.Thepolicefoundthemarijuanaby
stoppingandsearchingthem(oftenillegally),orbytrickingthemintorevealingit.
Policedepartmentsconcentratetheirpatrolsonlyincertainneighborhoods,usuallyones
designatedashighcrime."Thesearemainlyplaceswherelowincomewhitesandpeopleofcolor
live.Intheseneighborhoods,policestopandsearchthemostvehiclesandindividualswhilelooking
forcontrabandofanytypetomakeanarrest.Themostcommonitemthatpeopleinany
neighborhoodpossessthatwillgetthemarrestedandthemostcommonitemthatpolicefindis
asmallamountofmarijuana.
Policeofficerspatrollinginmiddleanduppermiddleclassneighborhoodstypicallydonot
searchthevehiclesandpocketsofwhitepeople,somostwelloffwhitesenjoyadefacto
legalizationofmarijuanapossession.Freefromtheintensesurveillanceandfrequentsearchesthat
occurinotherneighborhoods,theyhavelittlereasontofearahumiliatingarrestand
incarceration....
Theresulthasbeencalledracismwithoutracists."Noindividualofficersneedharborracial
animosityforthecriminaljusticesystemtoproducejailsandcourtsfilledwithblackandbrown
faces.
Buttheabsenceofhostileintentdoesnotabsolvepolicymakersandlaw
enforcementofficialsfromresponsibilityorblame.AsfederaljudgeShiraScheindlin
recentlydeterminedintwoprominentstopandfriskcases,NewYorkCitystop
officialsadoptedanattitudeofwillfulblindnesstowardstatisticalevidenceofracial
disparitiesinstopsandstopoutcomes."Shecitedthelegaldoctrineofdeliberate
indifferencetodescribepoliceandcityofficialswhowillfullyignoredoverwhelming
proofthatthepolicyisraciallydiscriminatoryandthereforeviolatestheUnited
StatesConstitution."






20 Precincts with the LOWEST RATE of Marijuana
Possession Arrests in the first EIGHT Months of
2014

Precinct and Neighborhood (Boro)
Rate of
Marijuana
Poss Arrests
per 100,000,
JanAug 2014
% of
Residents
Blacks +
Latinos
% of
Residents
Whites + all
Others
Median
household
income
($2011)
Number of
Marijuana
Poss Arrests
JanAug 2014
# of
Residents
112 Forest Hills (Q) 8 16% 84% $67,145 9 113,298
019 Upper East Side (59 to 96 St.) (M) 10 10% 90% $111,366 21 210,904
102 Richmond Hill, Woodhaven (Q) 18 49% 51% $56,042 26 146,390
061 Sheepshead Bay (BK) 19 12% 88% $49,522 31 162,613
111 Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck (Q) 22 13% 87% $76,716 27 121,307
108 Long Island City, Sunnyside (Q) 24 36% 64% $55,858 28 114,354
001 Tribeca, Wall Street (M) 25 11% 89% $128,016 16 64,963
020 Upper West Side to 86 St. (M) 27 12% 88% $112,908 25 93,030
078 Park Slope (BK) 33 24% 76% $96,062 20 61,334
062 Bensonhurst (BK) 41 14% 86% $43,903 75 181,079
045 Throgs Neck, Coop City, Pelam Bay (BX) 43 58% 42% $57,478 42 98,769
122 New Dorp (SI) 43 13% 87% $77,018 60 138,327
066 Borough Park (BK) 44 15% 85% $39,821 83 190,188
106 Ozone Park, Howard Beach (Q) 48 42% 58% $61,989 54 111,558
017 Kipps Bay, Murray Hill, Turtle Bay (M) 50 10% 90% $108,452 40 79,909
123 Tottenville (SI) NEW 52 9% 91% $87,138 51 97,639
084 Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill (BK) 62 34% 66% $90,771 37 59,812
009 East Village (M) 63 33% 67% $52,003 45 71,789
076 Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, (BK) 69 34% 66% $79,393 29 42,009
104 Ridgewood, Middle Village, Glendale (Q) 73 36% 64% $55,715 122 167,323
Averages for 20 Precincts with LOWEST RATES 39 24% 76% $75,366 42 116,330


Source: US. Census and New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Computerized Criminal History system. Arrests charged under 221.10 of
the NYS Penal Law/ All arrestees age 16 and older and marijuana possession is the highest or only criminal charge.
Harry G. Levine, Sociology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, and The Marijuana Arrest Research Project. Oct. 2014.
20 NYC Neighborhoods With The Lowest RATE of Marijuana Possession Arrests
in the First EIGHT Months Of 2014 Under Mayor De Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton
11






20 Precincts with the Highest RATE of Marijuana
Possession Arrests in the first EIGHT Months of
2014

Precinct and Neighborhood (Boro)
Rate of
Marijuana
Poss Arrests
per 100,000,
JanAug 2014
% of
Residents
Blacks +
Latinos
% of
Residents
Whites + all
Others
Median
household
income
($2011)
Number of
Marijuana
Poss Arrests
JanAug 2014
# of
Residents
025 East Harlem (North) (M)
1128
88% 12% $27,784
485
42,995
033 Washington Heights (M)
882
85% 15% $34,072
673
76,341
075 East New York, Starret City (BK)
658
89% 11% $34,192
1142
173,473
101 Far Rockaway (Q)
577
75% 25% $36,813
390
67,569
044 Morris Heights (BX)
515
95% 5% $27,697
727
141,216
034 Inwood, Washington Heights (M)
508
76% 24% $43,605
620
122,102
048 East Tremont, Belmont (BX)
491
91% 9% $22,441
433
88,112
030 Manhattanville, West Harlem (M)
482
85% 15% $35,100
277
57,517
081 BedfordStuyvesant (east) (BK)
458
93% 7% $36,088
297
64,814
052 Bedford Park, Fordham, Norwood (BX)
458
84% 16% $32,240
627
137,012
046 University Heights, Fordham (BX)
450
93% 7% $27,633
577
128,164
041 Hunts Point (BX)
418
96% 4% $22,268
269
64,422
040 Mott Haven, Melrose (BX)
408
97% 3% $22,137
363
88,893
071 Flatbush, Midwood (BK)
403
79% 21% $39,572
402
99,746
032 Harlem North (M)
372
90% 10% $34,423
270
72,639
113 St. Albans, Springfield Gdns, S. Jamaica (Q)
372
93% 7% $59,645
358
96,338
073 Ocean HIllBrownsville (BK)
366
96% 4% $27,671
318
86,787
077 Crown Heights North, Prospect Heights (BK)
345
77% 23% $45,185
334
96,674
067 East Flatbush (BK)
344
95% 5% $47,834
519
151,081
042 Morrisania, Crotona Park East, Tremont (BX)
330
97% 3% $23,286
278
84,136
Averages for 20 Precincts with HIGEST RATES
498
89% 11% $33,984
468
97,002


20 NYC Neighborhoods With The Highest RATE Of Marijuana Possession Arrests
in the First EIGHT Months Of 2014 Under Mayor De Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton
Source: US. Census and New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Computerized Criminal History system. Arrests charged under 221.10 of
the NYS Penal Law/ All arrestees age 16 and older and marijuana possession is the highest or only criminal charge.
Harry G. Levine, Sociology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, and The Marijuana Arrest Research Project. Oct. 2014.
12
13

ENDNOTES
1
AllmarijuanaarrestdatainthisreportisfromtheNewYorkStateDivisionofCriminalJustice
Services(DCJS)computerizedCriminalHistorysystem.Themostrecentdataavailable.Arrestsage16
andolderwheremarijuanapossessionisthehighestoronlycriminalcharge.Alldataisforpeople
chargedwithviolatingNYStatePenalLaw221.10.Previousreportsdrawingonthesamedataare
here:http://marijuana-arrests.com/nyc-pot-arrest-docs.html
2
SeetheexcellentreportfromHumanRightsWatch:ARedHerring:MarijuanaArresteesDoNot
BecomeViolentFelonsbyIssaKohlerHausmannandJamieFellner.Here:
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/11/23/red-herring-0

3
MuchInformationaboutthemanyharmfulconsequencesofcriminalarrestrecordsishere:
http://marijuana-arrests.com/consequences-of-arrest.html
4
OneNewYork,RisingTogether,BilldeBlasio,p.22
http://marijuana-arrests.com/library/Bill_de_Blasio__One_New_York_Rising_Together__campaign_2013.pdf
5
AllpopulationandincomedataisfromtheU.S.Census,2010.
6
Achartshowingthemarijuanausebywhites,blacksandLatinos,ages1825(themajorityofthe
peoplearrestedformarijuanaeverywhereintheUS)withthelinkstotheUSgovernmentwebsite
withthedataishere:http://marijuana-arrests.com/graph9-use.html
7
ThewebsitefortheCoopCityDepartmentofPublicSafetyishere:http://www.ccpd.us/index.html
8
PresidentObamawasquotedbyDavidRemnickinTheNewYorker,January27,2014.
9
TheNewYorkTimes'historicfivedayseriesofeditorialsandarticlescallingforanendtomarijuana
prohibition,largelyonthegroundsofracialjusticeandfairness,inJuly2014ishere:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/high-time-marijuana-legalization.html
10
StopAndFriskandtheMarijuanaMisdemeanorArrestsOutrageByEdKoch(FormerMayor,New
YorkCity),HuffingtonPost,June26,2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/stopandfrisk-and-the-mari_b_1626941.html
11
NewYorkTimes,Letters,CitysPolicyonDrugArrests,IraGlasseronMarijuanaProsecutions
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/opinion/Citys-Policy-on-Drug-Arrests.html?
SomearticlesdiscussingBratton's"brokenwindowspolicing"arehere:
http://marijuana-arrests.com/Bratton-and-Broken-Windows.html
12
TheU.S.NationalWeatherService'stableofNewYorkCitySnowfallfrom2014to1870ishere:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/okx/climate/records/monthseasonsnowfall.html
AtableshowinghighestandlowestsnowfallinJanuaryandFebruaryfrom2014to1870ishere:
http://marijuana-arrests.com/library/NYC-Snowfall-1870-2014.htm
13
DeBlasiowasquotedin:"Bratton:Citywilldefendofficersonmarijuanaarrests"inCapitalNew
York,byByAziPaybarah
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/07/8548648/bratton-city-will-defend-officers-marijuana-arrests

14

RACE,CLASS&MARIJUANAARRESTSINMAYORDEBLASIO'STWONEWYORKS:THENYPD'S
MARIJUANAARRESTCRUSADECONTINUESIN2014isreleasedbytheMarijuanaArrestResearch
ProjectandtheDrugPolicyAlliance,Oct2014.
ItwaspreparedbyHarryG.LevineandLorenSiegel.LevineisasociologyprofessoratQueens
College,CityUniversityofNewYork.Siegelisanattorneyandanindependentconsultantspecializing
inmediaandcommunicationsfornonprofits.LevineandSiegelaredirectorsoftheMarijuanaArrest
ResearchProject,whichstudiesstudyrace,policepolicy,andthemanyarrestsformarijuana
possessionandothervictimlesscrimesinlargeU.S.cities,especiallyNewYorkCity.
DrugPolicyAlliance(DPA)isthenation'sleadingorganizationpromotingpolicyalternativestothe
drugwarthataregroundedinscience,compassion,healthandhumanrights.gabrielsayeghis
ManagingDirector,PolicyandCampaigns.TonyNewmanisdirectorofmediarelations.

YoungarresteesbeingledintotheBrooklynCourtHouseinchains.Photo:JarrettMurphy,CityLimits
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MarijuanaArrestResearchProject,NewYork,NY/http://marijuana-arrests.com/ marijana.arrests@gmail.com
DrugPolicyAlliance,NewYork,NY/http://www.drugpolicy.org/ ny@drugpolicy.org
October2014