Prison Reform

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
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The Most Popular RAND Research of 2021
Dec 22, 2021
As another extraordinary year draws to a close, we continue to believe that objective, nonpartisan research and analysis has a key role to play in navigating what continues to be a difficult time. Here are the 10 research projects that resonated most with rand.org readers in 2021.
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Prison Reform
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Defunding Prisons, Preventing Cyberattacks, Promoting COVID-19 Vaccinations: RAND Weekly Recap
Aug 13, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on defunding prisons, how to deter ransomware attacks, overcoming barriers to COVID-19 vaccination, and more.
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Prison Reform
commentary
Defund Prisons, Not Police
Shawn D. Bushway @BushwayShawn, Nidhi Kalra
Aug 9, 2021
Los Angeles Times
The United States spends billions on prisons, jails, and juvenile detention facilities. New lows in incarceration rates present a chance to shift resources away from costly correctional facilities and toward education, job training, transportation, and other community services.
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Prison Reform
commentary
Investing in Social Change: Lessons Learned from Foundation-Funded Criminal Justice Research
Stephanie Brooks Holliday
Jul 20, 2021
The RAND Blog
Investing in policy-focused research can be among the ways foundations catalyze change. Impactful work may involve strong collaborations across funders, researchers, and community partners. And it may require flexibility in design and execution as well as a commitment to getting the findings into the hands of decisionmakers who can use the findings to create change.
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Racial Equity
essay
How RAND Applies an Equity Lens to Research and Analysis
Jul 7, 2021
RAND recognizes that serving the public good requires tackling the factors that contribute to inequities head-on. Current projects focus on such issues as environmental racism, mass incarceration, and anti-Asian violence.
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Prison Reform
commentary
UK Prisons Are in 'Crisis,' So What Can Be Done to Improve Performance?
Emma Disley
Feb 20, 2017
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly
Prisons in the UK are experiencing record numbers of suicides and other violent incidents, as well as staff shortages. Policymakers working on prison reform need more effective ways to measure the performance of prison programs.
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Prison Reform
commentary
The Pendulum Swings Back: Support for Postsecondary Education in Prison
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Dec 15, 2016
The RAND Blog
Correctional educational programs can reduce incarceration costs and recidivism. But it's critical that former inmates can connect with reentry services in the community to complete their education.
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Prisoner Reentry
commentary
Obama Commutes Sentences of 46 Drug Offenders. Now for the Hard Part
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Aug 10, 2015
The Tampa Tribune
Last month, President Obama commuted more sentences in a single day than any president since Lyndon Johnson. But commutation doesn't erase a criminal conviction.
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United States
blog
The 2015 Summer Reading List for Congress
Aug 5, 2015
With Capitol Hill slowing for August recess, this list of must-read research and commentaries will help ensure that policymakers are ready to dive right back in this fall.
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Alcohol
commentary
Could You Lose Your License to Drink?
Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
Jun 23, 2015
CNN
Criminal justice reform requires creating demand for bold ideas about simultaneously reducing incarceration and crime. Given the prominent role alcohol plays in crime — and the strong results from South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety program — suspending one's “license to drink” seems well worth considering.
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Recidivism
commentary
Using Education to Stop the Prison Revolving Door
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Sep 30, 2014
AL.com
Providing education and vocational training to inmates is a cost-effective way to reduce recidivism rates, thus shrinking prison populations and easing the strain on prison budgets. Education is far less expensive than incarceration.
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Recidivism
commentary
Sending Prisoners to College Will Save You Money
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis, Jennifer L. Steele
Apr 11, 2014
Newsday
Correctional education works for states because it saves money and shrinks prison populations. It works for prisoners, the public, law enforcement, and the judicial system because educated prisoners are less likely to return to their criminal ways once released.
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Recidivism
commentary
To Stop Prisons' Revolving Door
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Sep 16, 2013
Los Angeles Times
If California wants to reduce its prison population, it needs to address recidivism, and the best way to do this is through education and job training. Cutting education and vocational training may seem like a tempting way to plug short-term budget gaps, but it actually ends up costing the system more over time.
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Drug Courts
commentary
New Approach to Prison and the War on Drugs
Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
Aug 13, 2013
BBC.co.uk
If you want to reduce cocaine consumption and drug-related crime, you get more bang for the buck if you put money into treatment rather than paying for the increase in incarceration produced by federal mandatory minimum sentences, writes Beau Kilmer.
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Health Care Costs
commentary
California's Prisoner Shuffle
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Aug 19, 2011
Los Angeles Times
The state needs to deal with prison overcrowding and inadequate medical care for prisoners in ways that don't simply transfer the burden to county criminal justice systems and the healthcare safety nets of local communities, writes Lois Davis.
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Prisoner Reentry
commentary
Prison Health Care
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis
Jul 12, 2007
San Diego Union-Tribune
Prison Health Care, in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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commentary
Focus on the Worst Ex-Cons and Boost Community-Based Rehab
Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral
May 27, 2007
Riverside Press-Enterprise
Focus on the Worst Ex-Cons and Boost Community-Based Rehab in Riverside Press-Enterprise
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Prison Reform

The Most Popular RAND Research of 2021

Defunding Prisons, Preventing Cyberattacks, Promoting COVID-19 Vaccinations: RAND Weekly Recap

Defund Prisons, Not Police

Investing in Social Change: Lessons Learned from Foundation-Funded Criminal Justice Research

How RAND Applies an Equity Lens to Research and Analysis

UK Prisons Are in 'Crisis,' So What Can Be Done to Improve Performance?

The Pendulum Swings Back: Support for Postsecondary Education in Prison

Obama Commutes Sentences of 46 Drug Offenders. Now for the Hard Part

The 2015 Summer Reading List for Congress

Could You Lose Your License to Drink?

Using Education to Stop the Prison Revolving Door

Sending Prisoners to College Will Save You Money

To Stop Prisons' Revolving Door

New Approach to Prison and the War on Drugs

California's Prisoner Shuffle

Prison Health Care

Focus on the Worst Ex-Cons and Boost Community-Based Rehab

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