Briefing – Fines for Cannabis Possession

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Provided by Chicago Budget Office 6-23-2016.

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FinesforCannabisPossession

FinesforCannabisPossession:In2012,theCitydecriminalizedthepossessionof15gramsorlessofcannabisincertaincircumstances–anadministrativeticketandfineisissuedinlieuofarrest.

BackgroundIn2012,theCitydecriminalizedthepossessionof15gramsorlessofcannabisincertaincircumstances,withoffenderseligibleforanadministrativeticketandfineintheamountof$250-$500inlieuofarrest.WhiletheCity’sordinanceallowsofficerstoticketforcannabispossession,thereareanumberofcircumstanceswhereofficerscannotissuetickets.Forexample,officersmaynotissueticketsforanytypeofviolation(whethercannabispossessionornot)iftheoffenderisajuvenile,orifthereisawarrantfortheoffender.Thecannabisordinancealsoprohibitsticketingiftheviolationoccursinaparkoraschool.ASeptember2014analysisbytheChicagoPoliceDepartment(CPD)ontheimplementationofthecannabisordinancefoundthat:

• Overallarrestsforlow-levelcannabispossessionweredown39%forthefirstsixmonthsof2014comparedtothesametimeperiodin2012(priortotheordinance’simplementation).

• Thearrestratefellsteadilyfrom94.1%duringthefirstsixmonthsofimplementation,to68.4%inJulyandAugustof2014.

NewpoliciesputintoplaceinJuly2015allowofficerstoissueticketstoindividualswhoseidentitiescouldbeverifiedwithoutagovernment-issuedID;priortothat,onlyindividualswithagovernmentissuedIDwereeligibletoreceiveanadministrativeticketinlieuofarrest.Inaddition,CPDhasincorporatedcannabisticketsintoweeklyCompstatsessionsforalldistricts.RevenueImpactIn2014,theDepartmentofAdministrativeHearingsassessed$1,127,015infinesfromthedispositionof3,816casesforlow-levelcannabispossession.TheCityreceivedpaymenton615ofthesetickets,resultingin$147,627ofrevenue(anaverageof$240perpaidticket).Ifticketissuanceremainsconsistentwith2014levels,anincreaseof50%inthefineforlow-levelcannabispossessioncouldresultinapproximately$563,500inadditionalfinesimposedandanestimated$74,000inadditionalrevenue,assumingcollectionratesremainconstantat13%.LegalAuthorityIncreasingthefineforlow-levelcannabispossessioniswithintheCity’sauthorityandwouldrequireamendmentoftheMunicipalCode.OtherCitiesCannabisTicketingCity PossessionFine PublicUseFine AggravatingFactorsPhiladelphia $25-<30g $100 N/ANewYorkCity $100-<25g N/A $200–2ndTicket

$250–3rdTicketWashington,D.C. NoFine(Legalizedpossession

upto2ozifolderthan21)$25 N/A

Miami-Dade $100-<20g N/A N/A

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