Assessing the effectiveness of project ADDER in the United Kingdom at reducing crime rate

Abstract

Drug use has been a major concern in the United Kingdom (UK) for several decades, with Cannabis and Cocaine being the most commonly used drugs. Since the 1960s, various programmes have been implemented to address it, including prevention, treatment, and enforcement measures. However, these programmes have yet to yield effective outcomes. Recently, Project ADDER, a 10-year Drug Strategy was introduced. Given that the effectiveness of Project ADDER remains unknown, the objective of this study is to assess its effectiveness in reducing crime rates in the respective LSOAs1 by using the Differences-in-Differences (DID) regression. The results of Project ADDER have shown an increase in crime rates for most crime types, especially property crimes. This could be explained by factors such as deprivation and enforcement measures. The results also imply that Project ADDER is not only ineffective in decreasing drug-related crimes but could have led to unintended negative consequences to drug users and society. Therefore, it is paramount to identify the most effective and cost-efficient way to combat the prevalence of drug use and trafficking with the least damage on society.