Crime rates declined over time near Toronto supervised drug consumption sites, study suggests | CBC News

"Researchers at McGill University began investigating the issue after hearing community concerns that OPS and SCS locations were being linked to increases in crime. Instead, they discovered there were neutral to positive impacts to areas with sites due to a decline in most crimes over time, said researcher Dimitra Panagiotoglou. Overall these sites don't lead to increases in crime, but there are ways of integrating them into communities that are more positive than not, she said."

"The one exception to the study was an increase in break and enters in some areas right after sites opened, but those rates declined month to month over time, said Panagiotoglou. She said trends in assaults, robberies, thefts over $5,000, bicycle thefts and thefts from motor vehicles also decreased overtime near sites. The study, published in JAMA, looked at incidents of crime within a 400-metre radius of nine OPS and SCS locations in Toronto from Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2024."

"She notes researchers had hoped to also look into reports of nuisances in neighbourhoods, such as public defecation or needles and syringes found outside, but didn't have adequate data. Other limitations, she said, included not being able to rule out other reasons for declines in crime, including changes in policing quality in communities. While it's important to not ignore community concerns, Panagiotoglou said the study's results show that more"

McGill University researchers analyzed Toronto police data on assault, auto theft, break and enters, robbery, thefts over $5,000, bicycle thefts and thefts from motor vehicles within a 400-metre radius of nine OPS and SCS locations from Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2024. Areas with OPS and SCS experienced neutral to positive impacts, with declines in most crimes over time. Break and enters rose immediately after some site openings but declined month to month thereafter. Several property and violent crime categories decreased near sites. Data on neighbourhood nuisances and potential confounders were limited.

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