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WSU research shows marijuana legalization may be helping police solve other crimes

After it was legalized, Washington State University saw it as an opportunity to study what extent this change would have on society.

SPOKANE, Wash.-- Washington and Colorado legalized marijuana nearly six years ago in 2012.

After it was legalized, Washington State University saw it as an opportunity to study what extent this change would have on society.

The research ultimately found that the legalization affected the number of marijuana related arrests and other crime rates.

Before 2012, the number of violent and property crime cases solved in Washington and Colorado were decreasing, but after the legalization, the number began to increase significantly.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, the WSU study found that arrest rates for marijuana possession dropped nearly 50 percent in Colorado and more than 50 percent in Washington after the legalization.

While WSU researchers say they acknowledge a correlation between the legalization and the number of resolved cases, there is no one cause. They add that these improvements could be the result of more overtime for law enforcement officers, new strategies or a focus on particular crimes.

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