Insights & Information

A new study by the Vera Institute of Justice and Pew Center on the States examines the relationship between prison populations and corrections and community corrections spending. The authors find that despite policies aimed at reducing the number of people incarcerated and shifting public opinion on crime and punishment, there is no relationship between the number of people incarcerated and the amount that a state may spend on corrections or community corrections. In interviews, policymakers and corrections administrators proposed that the lack of success of policy decisions, the continuing expense of the increasing population in prisons, labor unions, and public sentiment have contributed to the finding. To access the full report and a fact sheet, click here.

Massive increases in state spending on prisons have not lowered America's national recidivism rate, with more than four in 10 offenders returned to state prison within three years of their release, according to a new report by the Pew Center on the States. State of Recidivism: The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons found that nearly 43 percent of prisoners released in 2004 and 45 percent of those released in 1999 were reincarcerated within three years, either for committing a new crime or violating the terms of their supervised release. In Illinois, 52 percent of releasees were reincarcerated within three years, making it one of only six states (Alaska, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Vermont) where more than half of released offenders are returned to prison. Pew’s findings have significant implications for policy makers struggling with painful budget choices. State corrections spending, driven almost entirely by prison expenditures, has quadrupled over the past two decades, making it the second fastest growing area of state budgets, trailing only Medicaid. Total state spending on corrections today is more than $50 billion a year. The report shows a greater shift to evidence-based policies could produce a big payoff: If the 41 states that provided data for 2004 could reduce their recidivism rates by just 10 percent, they could save more than $635 million combined in one year alone in averted prison costs.

As a part of the Pew Center on the States' on-going Public Safety Performance Project, Pew worked with two of the nation's leading polling firms to investigate public attitudes towards crime and punishment.  The firms used a combination of focus groups and a national survey of voters.  Among the findings:

• Without question, voters want a strong public safety system with accountibility and consequences for illegal activities.  At the same time, voters believe that such a system is possible while also reducing the size and cost of the prison system. 
• Focus groups expressed considerable empathy for those convicted of non-violent crimes and their life circumstances.  Participants were in favor of punishments that did not include prison, instead opting for community service.  Participants agreed that substance abuse treatment and job training programs are also appropriate.
• Using familiar and non-technical language that emphasizes public safety resonates with voters.  People responded more favorably to terms such as "mandatory supervision" to describe non-prison sanctions as opposed to "community corrections".

The summary of Pew's findings can be found here.