Evidence-Based Public Policy Options to Reduce Crime and Criminal Justice Costs: Implications in Washington State

• NCJ Number: 232523
• Journal: Victims & Offenders Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 170-196
• Author(s): Elizabeth K. Drake; Steve Aos; Marna G. Miller
• Date Published: April 2009
• Length: 27 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper presents the findings of meta-analytic review of studies evaluating the costs and benefits of corrections and crime prevention programs.

Abstract

In 2006, long-term forecasts indicated that Washington faced the need to construct several new prisons in the following two decades. Since new prisons are costly, the Washington legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to project whether there are "evidence-based" options that can reduce the future need for prison beds, save money for State and local taxpayers, and contribute to lower crime rates. The institute conducted a systematic review of all research evidence that could be located to determine what works, if anything, to reduce crime. The authors found and analyzed 545 comparison-group evaluations of adult corrections, juvenile corrections, and prevention programs. They then estimated the benefits and costs of many of these evidence-based options and found that some evidence-based programs produce favorable returns on investment. This paper presents the authors findings and describes their meta-analytic and economic methods. (Published Abstract)