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Sentencing

Sentencing decisions—from community orders in the UK to mental health courts, mandatory minimum sentences, and "three strikes" laws in the United States—are increasingly under the microscope to lower crime rates and reduce recidivism. RAND has conducted evaluations of specific sentencing and corrections policies since well before the first three-strikes laws passed in 1994, and has reported on the costs and benefits of various sentencing laws, including whether they do in fact reduce crime.

Journal Article

Journal Article

"Nothing Is More Opaque Than Absolute Transparency": The Use of Prior History to Guide Sentencing

This article reviews prior literature, evaluating an algorithm used to determine prison sentencing for criminals with prior history.

Apr 15, 2020
Journal Article

Journal Article

Drug Offences: Assessment of Guideline

Using data collection exercises in the Crown and magistrates courts, researchers helped identify whether sentencing outcomes for drug and theft offences changed after new guidelines came into force, and examined factors affecting sentencing practice.

Jun 25, 2019
Dissertation

Dissertation

Treatment Not Custody: Process and Impact Evaluation of the Santa Monica Homeless Community Court

This dissertation is a process and impact evaluation of the Santa Monica Homeless Community Court.

Sep 18, 2018
Report

An Alternative Future for the Corrections Sector

Experts agree that the main role of the U.S. corrections sector should be to help improve offenders' behavior. Better staff training, the elimination of operations that generate revenue, and a cultural shift to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment could help.

Oct 26, 2017
Commentary

The Intersection of Algorithms and an Individual's Rights

Data collection, and our reliance on it, have evolved extremely rapidly. The resulting algorithms have proved invaluable for organizing, evaluating and utilizing information. How do individuals' rights come in to play, when data about their lives is compiled to create algorithms, and the resulting tools are applied to judge them?

Sep 29, 2017
Commentary

Should California Drop Criminal Penalties for Drug Possession?

Californians have a lot to consider when it comes to decriminalizing possession. But now is the time for a rigorous discussion about removing criminal penalties for drug possession, rather than rushing to judgment in the heat of a future election season.

Jul 20, 2017
News Release

News Release

Too Little Evidence Available to Determine Cost Savings of Crime Reform Initiative for Los Angeles County

While a California ballot initiative reducing penalties for some criminal offenses promised to save local governments money, quantifying such savings will require significant changes in the way local agencies track workloads.

Jun 15, 2017
Report

Too Little Evidence Available to Determine Cost Savings of Crime Reform Initiative for Los Angeles County

While a California ballot initiative reducing penalties for some criminal offenses promised to save local governments money, quantifying such savings will require significant changes in the way local agencies track workloads.

Jun 15, 2017
Commentary

No Company Should Be Able to Keep You from Checking Your Government's Math

Data and computer models are becoming more and more important for making policy decisions on everything from prison sentences to tax bills. But citizens should be able to “check the math” on decisions that affect them.

Jan 18, 2017
Project

Programme Examines Drugs, Policing and Criminal Justice in Europe

Crime, violence, substance misuse and illicit markets harm communities across Europe. RAND Europe helps decisionmakers at national and pan-European levels assess threats and identify and develop policies to improve safety, security and other outcomes.

Oct 6, 2016
Commentary

Drug Dependence: Treatment Over Incarceration

Drug dependence imposes significant costs to society and traditional criminal justice responses like imprisonment do not reduce crime. More quality research on alternative sanctions could help police, prosecutors, and judges expand their options while helping users get treatment.

Oct 3, 2016
News Release

News Release

Frequent Alcohol Testing Combined with Swift, Certain and Modest Sanctions Is Associated with Drop in Mortality

An innovative program that requires alcohol-involved offenders to abstain from alcohol and submit to frequent tests was associated with a 4 percent drop in deaths. The associations were most evident among causes of death related to excessive alcohol use, such as circulatory conditions.

Feb 9, 2016
Commentary

Oregon Standoff Shouldn't Have an Anti-Terrorism Twist

Dwight and Steven Hammond were charged under a law enacted to fight terrorism, not rein in wayward ranchers. Anti-terrorist laws should not be used to strengthen prosecutors' hands in nonterrorist prosecutions—it makes national security needs look like an instrument of oppression.

Jan 13, 2016
Commentary

What's Next on the Convicted Terrorist's Timeline?

As inmates near the end of their sentences for terrorism-related offenses, and with some individuals already freed, it's time to explore what considerations may be necessary.

Nov 4, 2015
Commentary

Different Countries, Different Ways of Countering Terrorism

France and the United States follow different approaches in dealing with terrorist suspects. This divergence reflects differences in the threat, historical experience, law, available resources, and public attitudes. France faces a more serious terrorist threat than the U.S. does.

Mar 2, 2015
Commentary

California's Misguided Approach

Despite the frequency with which people are convicted of multiple DUI offenses, California continues to require that all individuals with a DUI attend a 30- or 60-hour education program. However, these programs aren't that effective.

Mar 17, 2014
Commentary

New Approach to Prison and the War on Drugs

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.

Aug 13, 2013
Commentary

Advancing Social Outcomes: Private Investors Could Be Part of the Solution

Under a Social Impact Bond, private investors — rather than the government — provide up-front funding for programs that tackle such challenges as recidivism or homelessness. If these programs succeed, the government pays some of the savings back to the investors.

May 14, 2013
Research Brief

An Innovative Way to Curb Problem Drinking: South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project

South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project, in which individuals with alcohol-involved offenses submit to breathalyzer tests twice per day or wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet at all times, reduced repeat DUI arrests at the county level by 12 percent.

Dec 12, 2012
Journal Article

Frequent Alcohol Testing Program Reduces DUI and Domestic Violence Arrests

In its first six years, an innovative alcohol monitoring program called the South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety Project reduced county-level repeat DUI arrests by 12 percent and domestic violence arrests by 9 percent.

Dec 6, 2012

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RAND Topic:
Sentencing

Topic Synonyms:
Judgment;
Punishment

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