Sentencing Scorecards: Reducing Racial Disparities in Prison Sentences
Oct 21, 2020
Justice Policy Publications
Publications from the RAND Justice Policy program cover topics related to public safety and the performance of the U.S. criminal justice system for federal law enforcement and other agencies, police departments, and other clients.
RAND Justice Policy also conducts research on topics related to civil justice through the RAND Institute of Civil Justice (ICJ).
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Sentencing Scorecards: Reducing Racial Disparities in Prison Sentences at Their Source October 21, 2020
Scorecards are a common tool for public policy decisionmaking, but none highlight racial disparities in incarceration. We constructed county-level scorecards for racial disparities in incarceration rates for the NY State Permanent Commission on Sentencing.
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The Complex Cancer Care Coverage Environment: What Is the Role of Legislation? A Case Study from Massachusetts October 13, 2020
We identified five current cancer coverage state laws and interviewed experts on their perceptions of the relevance of the laws and how well they meet the current needs of cancer care given rapid changes in therapies.
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Locking Up My Generation: Cohort Differences in Prison Spells Over the Life Course October 1, 2020
Our study highlights that the crime-punishment wave in the 1980s and 1990s created cohort differences in incarceration over the life course that changed the level of incarceration even decades after the wave.
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A Policy Review of Employers' Open Access to Conviction Records September 30, 2020
In this review, we find that (a) US employers' use of conviction information is not clearly aligned with the risk of future criminal behavior or employer costs, and (b) using such information leads to hiring errors that pose costs to society.
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COVID-19 Vaccinations: Liability and Compensation Considerations Critical for a Successful Campaign September 21, 2020
The authors examine liability and compensation issues relating to the future distribution and administration of a COVID-19 vaccine. They provide a brief history of how liability and compensation concerns have been addressed in previous public health threats, discuss how the global pandemic might complicate matters of legal immunity, and suggest consideration of appropriate compensation for adverse effects to encourage vaccinations.
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The Dawn of a New Synthetic Opioid Era: The Need for Innovative Interventions September 17, 2020
This paper stems from recent research into understanding the past, present and possible futures of synthetic opioids in North America and beyond.
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California Wildfires: Can Insurance Markets Handle the Risk? September 14, 2020
This brief examines the health of the wildfire insurance market in two areas in northern and southern California and the projected wildfire risk in these areas through 2100.
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Risk and Needs Assessments in Prisons: Identifying High-Priority Needs for Using Evidence-Based Practices September 9, 2020
Prison systems are highly complex, are often underresourced, and might lack the internal capacity to effectively implement evidence-based risk and needs assessments (RNAs) in their operations. Furthermore, it can be difficult to change institutional culture to accept an evidence-based approach in an environment in which custody objectives are paramount. A panel of experts identified ways to address and improve the use of RNA tools in prisons.
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The Law Enforcement Response to Homelessness: Identifying High-Priority Needs to Improve Law Enforcement Strategies for Addressing Homelessness August 25, 2020
Police often are the first (and sometimes the only) point of government contact for persons experiencing homelessness (PEH). Police responses have shifted to approaches designed to foster positive relationships with PEH, help assess the individual needs of each person or area, and guide homeless or unsheltered individuals to the services they require. A panel of experts identified ways to address related challenges.
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Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Social Services for Vulnerable Populations in Los Angeles: Lessons Learned from Community Providers August 24, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted social safety net programs on which both those at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness and those involved with the criminal justice system depend. The authors of this report conducted interviews with social services organizations in Los Angeles County to assess how service providers are responding to COVID-19 and to compile lessons learned from and innovative strategies for dealing with the pandemic.