What About Those We Left Behind?: The Unintended Consequences of Decarceration for Those Still Incarcerated

• In Event: Correctional Practices and (Un)intended Outcomes

Abstract

Decarceration, the intentional reduction of state prison populations through changes in sentence law and guidelines, crime classifications, or correctional policies, has had a significant impact on reducing state prison populations and ending the era of mass incarceration. But what about those who are left behind? Beyond changes to the composition of the prison population, decarceration may have impacts on prison culture, inmate behavior, and access to treatment programs. The purpose of this study is to examine potential effects of these decarceration policies on individuals who remain incarcerated, by comparing three state correctional systems with differing rates of decarceration (high, moderate, and little/none). In this study we use interrupted time series analysis to examine the impact of decarceration policies in the study sites. Implications for future ‘smart decarceration’ strategies are proposed.

Author

• Baylee Allen-Flores, University of Nebraska Omaha