The Effectiveness of Parole Supervision: Use of Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to Analyze Reincarceration Rates in Kentucky

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

Recent years have seen increasing concerns about the importance of offender reentry and how to best facilitate ex-offenders remaining crime-free. Common responses have been to enhance punitiveness, and to decrease resources and support services for ex-offenders. Results have been consistently high levels of recidivism, and consequently increasingly punitive responses. The present study examines whether a cohort of offenders released to the community in Kentucky either under parole supervision or at the expiration of their sentences are more likely to be reincarcerated within a 5 year period. The subjects of each cohort were constructed into two groups using PSM to control for differences between them.

Authors

• Gennaro Francis Vito, University of Louisville

• George E. Higgins, University of Louisville

• Richard Tewksbury, University of Louisville