The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center (DEPC) was founded in November 2017 with a gift from the Charles Koch Foundation and is housed at the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. In November of 2019, the center received an additional significant grant from the Menard Family and Menard Inc. In addition to the two founding gifts, DEPC receives funding from a number of research and project grants.
DEPC examines the impact of modern drug laws, policies and enforcement on personal freedoms and human well-being, giving particularized and sustained attention to analyzing the rapid evolution of marijuana laws and the impacts of reform efforts. The center focuses on promoting and supporting interdisciplinary, evidence-based research, scholarship, education, community outreach and public engagement on the myriad issues and societal impacts surrounding the reform of criminal and civil laws prohibiting or regulating the use and distribution of traditionally illicit drugs.
The center draws on the interdisciplinary strengths of a number of colleges and departments across The Ohio State University. By bringing together scholarship from across academia and reaching out to government actors, legal practitioners, public policy advocates and other stakeholders, the center helps shape and enrich public conversations about the intersecting fields of criminal justice and drug policy and enforcement, and their historical and modern impact on society.
Douglas A. Berman“We are committed to take on projects and embrace opportunities that matter. By exploring pressing questions and bringing together thought leaders to engage in a sophisticated way, we create a space and means to connect research to policymakers and to unpack challenging topics carefully and conscientiously. We encourage students to get excited about these topics, showing them that the intersecting fields of criminal justice and drug policy and enforcement are meaningful and impactful areas to focus on professionally.”
Our Leadership
Previous Year Annual Reports
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center produces annual reports and Autumn in Review and Spring in Review emails to keep supporters updated on center research, news, events, and programming. Subscribe to the DEPC email newsletter and receive event invitations, reports and studies, data and policy analysis, as well as bi-annual updates on center programming and research.