Lessons from the States: Reducing Recidivism and Curbing Corrections Costs Through Justice Reinvestment

“Declining state revenues and other fiscal factors are putting a serious strain on many states’ criminal justice systems, often putting concerns about the bottom line in competition with public safety. Strategies tested in numerous states and local jurisdictions, however, show that there are effective ways to address the challenge of containing rising corrections costs while also increasing public safety” (p. 1). Any agency looking for ways to reduce costs while maintaining public safety should look at this report. These strategies are: conduct a comprehensive data analysis; engage diverse constituencies; focus on the people most likely to reoffend; reinvest in high-performing programs; strengthen community supervision; and incentivize performance.