In addition, because different municipalities have different laws and policies, the way the cases are handled is inconsistent and unfair, researchers said.
Arrests for the violation are down, but about 93 percent of misdemeanor marijuana possession violations resulted in arrest in Chicago, according to an analysis conducted by Roosevelt University's Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy.
That means that instead of issuing tickets and fines — considered an easier and more efficient process — police chose to take people to jail, said Kathleen Kane-Willis, the lead author of the study.
The study, which has not yet been published or peer-reviewed, found that the city and state have struggled to actually implement the rules despite having policies for tickets and fines on the books, she said.
