Transatlantic Perspectives on the Economic Effectiveness of Prisons

• In Event: Evidence-Based Crime Policy III

Abstract

Policymakers in the UK and in some states in the USA are increasingly examining effective community-based alternatives to prison as a means of reducing recidivism and costs. This paper explores how decision models can be used as an adjunct to systematic reviews of programme trials, to evaluate the costs and benefits of prison vs. community based recidivism prevention programmes by offender type, both for tax payers and the wider community of victims and other stakeholders. The paper provides a comparison of such models between the USA and the UK. There are differences shown in terms of methods used and data sources which can impact on the transatlantic comparability of results. The authors identify some good practices which should be commonly adopted. There are also more fundamental differences between the USA and the UK in terms of the actual return on investment. This reflects the different contexts such as correction systems, offender profiles, and societal values of crime. Overall, the paper shows that by adding cost-benefit analysis to systematic review findings, policymakers can demonstrate the rationale for re-profiling spending on correctional services. This provides benefits to both taxpayers and victims of crime.

Authors

• Jacqueline Mallender, Matrix Knowledge

• Rory Tierney, Matrix Knowledge