"Effect of Syringe Exchange Programs on Local Crime: Evidence from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" (JMP)

Presented at June 2025 Society of Labor Economics Conference and scheduled for November 2025 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Conference.

Abstract: Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) provide injection drug users with sterile syringes and a safe disposal site for used syringes to prevent the spread of bloodborne infections like HIV and Hepatitis B and C. With sparse evidence on crime outcomes, SEPs are consistently controversial because of the concerns that these programs may increase drug usage, attract drug users, and increase local crime. In this paper, I estimate the effect of SEPs on crime, using an event study framework with the plausibly exogenous spatial and temporal variation in the rollout and weekly schedule of SEPs in Pittsburgh and administrative incident reports. To do so, I create a dataset of the different SEP locations, their initial open dates, and weekday of service, then merge it with incident reports. I compare incidents occurring within one mile of an SEP location to incidents located more than one mile away, before and after the location started services, dynamically around the location’s weekday of service. Despite the negative perception of SEPs, I find no evidence of a significant effect on daily incidents of theft, burglary, robbery or homicide, and my results can rule out increases in theft as large as 7.0% daily. Additionally, I find that SEPs decrease daily incidents of possession by 8.0% weekly, distribution by 11.5% weekly, and assault by 10.9% weekly. Savings from only decreases in aggravated assault exceed costs of the organization by $132,158 per week.