The Idaho State Police have published the latest crime statistics for the state. Our drug problem is bucking the national trend toward prescription drug abuse, but the news isn’t really that good. The drugs of choice in Idaho are marijuana and methamphetamine, with 44 pounds of the speed seized last year.
Other drugs, particularly heroin and cocaine, also make an appearance, but these are largely confined to urban areas. Boise accounts for much of the reporting. Rural jurisdictions may not be sending in total statistics, as when, for instance, marijuana plants are found growing in the woods and are simply destroyed without any arrests being made.
Statewide, drug arrests were up 12%, a significant increase over 2009. Twin Falls showed a spike upward with 100 more arrests for drugs than the year before. Percentages in these statistics are a bit misleading however. Because Idaho has such a small population compared to other states, when the numbers go up even slightly, it can represent a large swing in percentages.
Twin Falls and Boise continue to hog the headlines. As recently as last week, there were arrests in Twin Falls for heroin trafficking. This division into city drugs and rural drugs isn’t uncommon in other states. The picture is slightly more complex because of the Indian reservations in our state. These have been a source for methamphetamine arrests for some time.
On the upside, even with drug arrests increasing in some categories, arrests overall (for any offense) are actually down – continuing a 4-year trend. That’s good news. DUIs are actually down 13% from 2009.
Let’s hope for continued improvement down the road.
