Thinking about Displacement in Drug Markets: Why Observing Change of Venue Isn't Enough

Abstract

This article discusses displacement of drug markets, that is, the phenomenon of markets adapting to police enforcement rather than being eliminated by it. The extent to which displacement occurs and the forms that it takes must ultimately be resolved by empirical observation, but it is important to clarify some issues surrounding displacement now so that these questions are framed properly before the data is collected. This article argues that markets displace in method of operation as well as in physical location; that different forms of physical displacement can be distinguished; that the extent to which displacement occurs is a continuous and not a binary variable; and that even when there is “complete” displacement, interventions may still yield benefits to society.