An Assessment of the Local Fiscal Impact of Criminal Justice Reform in one Midwestern State

• In Event: Innovation and Reform in Justice Programs and Policy

Abstract

This paper presents results from a study exploring the likely fiscal impact at the local level of a sweeping revision to the state’s criminal code. The purpose of the reforms was to design a proportional sentencing scheme that is equitable to both offenders and victims, and that reserves prison sentences for the most serious offenders. The new reforms were designed to allow that less serious offenders are kept in local jurisdictions and treated by local service providers. This study examined likely impact on county-level probation, community corrections, treatment programs and public safety professionals. The overall findings from the analysis pointed to the conclusion that while the changes to the criminal code made it possible to divert more than 14,000 offenders from the prisons on an annual basis. That, however, is going to require intentionality at the local levels to manage offenders in the community and resist the “urge” to revoke probation and community corrections sentences when violations occur. Based on the full analysis, we consider a set of policy recommendations for this state to realize a real reduction in their prison population.

Authors

• Nathan Zaugg, American Institutes for Research

• Roger Jarjoura, Amer Institutes for Research

• Konrad Haight, American Institutes for Research