Drug-Related Felony Processing in Nevada (2016-2023): Trends in Arrest, Conviction, and Structural Exposure

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminal Justice
• Socioeconomic Outcomes

Background:

• Drug-related criminal justice involvement is a significant structural factor affecting public health and socioeconomic status, especially for individuals with substance use disorders.
• While incarceration's impact is well-documented, felony-level criminal processing without conviction or incarceration remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine longitudinal patterns in drug-related arrests, convictions, and felony drug convictions in Nevada from 2016-2023.
• To analyze public health and criminal justice data to understand the scope of felony-level processing.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review and descriptive analysis of administrative data from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Analytics.
• Longitudinal examination of drug-related arrests, drug-related convictions, and felony drug convictions between 2016 and 2023.

Main Results:

• Drug-related arrests and convictions constituted a significant proportion of total cases, with arrest proportions exceeding conviction proportions from 2020 onwards.
• The percentage of felonies attributable to drug offenses and the proportion of drug-related convictions classified as felonies substantially increased from 2016 to 2023.
• A high percentage of forensically involved individuals reported drug use and had documented drug-related arrests.

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate sustained exposure to felony-level criminal processing among adjudicated populations without a proportional rise in conviction severity or incarceration.
• These patterns underscore the importance of considering criminal justice system contact beyond incarceration metrics.
• Felony-level processing has significant structural implications for long-term socioeconomic and health trajectories.