In this paper, Benjamin Lessing argues that prison gangs present three distinct problems for policymakers. First, many typical responses to prison-gang activity have unintended and deeply counterproductive consequences. Second, it is unclear that reducing incarceration rates or improving prison conditions would neutralize the authority that prison gangs have accumulated as a result of mass-incarceration policies. And, finally, it is not clear that reducing prison-gang authority would produce positive outcomes.

David Skarbek is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Economy at King’s College London and an Associate Member of the Extra-Legal Governance Institute at the University of Oxford. In this podcast he presents the an overview of how prison gang maintain control and govern.

Evaluation Findings and Key Takeaways

This study examined the proliferation of homelessness among those in the criminal justice system by administering questionnaires to a sample of inmates in the following seven jails: Arapahoe, Denver (city and county jails), El Paso, Larimer, Mesa, and Pueblo. Questionnaires were administered to 507 jail inmates who agreed to participate in the study, representing a response rate of 83.4%. Among those surveyed, 297 of 488 who answered the question identified as homeless (60.8%), however, the study design intentionally over sampled homeless respondents.

After bipartisan law passed in 2015, state’s prison population dropped 9%

Sanders, Frank H., Johnk, Robert T., Drocella, Edward F.

U.S. incarceration of women remains at historic and global high

Despite recent reforms, the United States still incarcerates 698 people for every 100,000 residents, more than any other country. Compared to that number, the women’s incarceration rate of 133 seems quaint. But it’s the highest incarceration rate for women in the world. And while the overall U.S. incarceration rate is falling, the women’s rate remains at an historic high.

by Jennifer L. Doleac

This publication from the Texas Public Policy Foundation examines the decades-long growth in rural pretrial incarceration. In doing this, the report unveils growth contributors and makes evidence-based recommendations to improve public safety while reducing the number of defendants held on pretrial detention. Solutions outlined in the paper include reducing the number of jailable offenses, expanding police diversion, and utilizing validated risk-assessments at intake.

The purpose of this technical assistance request was to assist the Kansas Parole Board with reducing the num-ber of offenders revoked from post-release supervision and with streamlining the revocation process so that offenders spend less time incarcerated. The recommen-dations below are made for the purpose of assisting the Board with the aforementioned tasks.