Jun 2023

Video about the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program

Ashna Arora Jordan Bellquist Daniel Avila Jacob Miller

This video provides an overview of the Crime Lab’s evaluation of the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program, a program implemented by the community behavioral health provider Thresholds.

In this program, individuals eligible for diversion are connected with a substance use counselor, are released without criminal charges, and face no threat of future prosecution related to the arrest.

Early findings of the study show that the program successfully engages participants in treatment and significantly reduces re-arrest rates, demonstrating that a sanction-free response to the opioid crisis can work at scale to help make cities safer and healthier.

NADP is a partnership between the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and Thresholds.

Related Resources
Agent-Based Model of Combined Community- and Jail-Based Take-Home Naloxone Distribution
Academic Paper

Agent-Based Model of Combined Community- and Jail-Based Take-Home Naloxone Distribution

Dec 2024

This paper outlines the impact and cost-effectiveness of naloxone distribution, particularly for people facing criminal justice involvement.

Empirical Analysis of Prediction Mistakes in New York City Pretrial Data
Academic Paper

Empirical Analysis of Prediction Mistakes in New York City Pretrial Data

Feb 2024
Policing Substance Use: Chicago’s Treatment Program for Narcotics Arrests – Working Paper
Academic Paper

Policing Substance Use: Chicago’s Treatment Program for Narcotics Arrests – Working Paper

Oct 2023

This working paper sheds light on the effectiveness of diversion programs by showcasing Chicago’s drug diversion program success in reducing drug-related arrests.

Brookings Institution Commentary: Making the invisible epidemic visible
Brief

Brookings Institution Commentary: Making the invisible epidemic visible

Aug 2023

Using new data from a large urban trauma center in Chicago, we document substantial under-reporting of domestic violence at the time of receiving medical care.

Latest Updates

UChicago Crime Lab’s Mayoral Public Safety Pledge
Op-Ed
UChicago Crime Lab
Aug 2026

UChicago Crime Lab’s Mayoral Public Safety Pledge

Chicago has a high-stakes mayoral election coming up in 2027. Given our dire budget situation, what should – or even can – whoever is in charge next do to address the city’s top priority: gun violence?

Senate Passes Promoting Police Leadership Act Inspired by University of Chicago’s PLA
Press Release
UChicago Crime Lab
Jun 2026

Senate Passes Promoting Police Leadership Act Inspired by University of Chicago’s PLA

The U.S. Senate passes the bipartisan Promoting Police Leadership Act, landmark legislation that draws heavily from the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy (PLA).

UChicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy Informs First-Ever Bipartisan Federal Legislation to Expand Commander-Level Law Enforcement Training
Press Release
UChicago Crime Lab
May 2026

UChicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy Informs First-Ever Bipartisan Federal Legislation to Expand Commander-Level Law Enforcement Training

Bipartisan Promoting Police Leadership Act, introduced by Senators Cornyn and Whitehouse, draws on UChicago model to set national standards