They say that the three things most important in real estate are location, location, location. It appears that location also has much to do with how likely a person is to be arrested on marijuana-related charges in Michigan.
According to data compiled by the Michigan State Police, a person is three times more likely to be arrested in Ann Arbor on weed-related charges than in West Bloomfield Township (the city with the lowest arrest rate in the state) – a mere 35 miles away.
Ann Arbor’s arrest rate is 0.77 arrests per 1,000 residents; West Bloomfield Township’s rate of arrests per 1,000 residents is 0.24.
It should be noted that Ann Arbor’s rate is significantly lower than the overall statewide rate, which sits at 2.07 per 1,000 residents. A recent news article on the data also showed that marijuana charges (ranging from possession to trafficking) account for 4 percent of all arrests in Ann Arbor.
However, those figures don’t include the University of Michigan, which has its own police force. Weed arrests at the U of M account for 14 percent of all its busts.
Which is the city in which you’re most likely to be arrested on pot-related charges? Lincoln Park. The Detroit suburb has a whopping 6.03 arrests per 1,000 residents. The charges account for 14 percent of all arrests in the community of just over 37,000.
Those facing drug possession charges should talk over the charges and evidence with an experienced criminal defense attorney before speaking with a prosecutor.