Corrections and Public Safety

Fiscally sound, evidence-based research is critical to helping states advance policies and practices in sentencing and corrections that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable and control corrections costs. By examining the overall impact of corrections policies on state budgets, we aid states in improving public safety return on taxpayer dollars.

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Latest Report

Risk-Needs Assessment 101: Science Reveals New Tools to Manage Offenders
Over the past few decades, experts have developed and refined risk/needs instruments to measure the likelihood of an individual returning to crime, violence or drug use. These tools can help officials to better identify offenders at a high risk of reoffending, while also pinpointing the types of supervision and services that are most likely to prevent future criminal behavior and slow the revolving door of America’s prisons.

September 2011 | Public Safety Performance Project | Full Report (PDF)

Featured Research

Pew has released landmark reports on prison population and the resulting demands on state
budgets, including: One in 100, One in 31 and State of Recidivism.

Corrections Research by Topic

Prison Population Community Supervision Probation & Parole Fiscal Impact Sentencing & Courts

Corrections Experts

Adam Gelb, director, Public Safety Performance Project
Richard Jerome, project manager, Public Safety Performance Project
Jake Horowitz, project manager, Public Safety Performance Project

Related Initiatives

Public Safety Performance Project

Reports

Q&A October 06, 2011 - Public Safety Performance Project director Adam Gelb discusses the expansion of Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation and Enforcement (HOPE) program and, more broadly, how new evidence about what works to break the cycle of crime and imprisonment is helping states cut corrections costs and enhance public safety. Read: Summary View: Full report is not available
Risk-Needs Assessment 101: Science Reveals New Tools to Manage Offenders September 20, 2011 - Over the past few decades, experts have developed and refined risk/needs instruments to measure the likelihood of an individual returning to crime, violence or drug use. These tools can help officials to better identify offenders at a high risk of reoffending, while also pinpointing the types of supervision and services that are most likely to prevent future criminal behavior and slow the revolving door of America’s prisons. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
The Impact of Arizona's Probation Reforms March 07, 2011 - Arizona's innovative probation reforms have been able to show early signs of reducing the rate of prison growth. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Kentucky: A Data-Driven Effort to Protect Public Safety and Control Corrections Spending October 19, 2010 - Kentucky's prison population is among the fastest growing in the nation. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Collateral Costs: Incarceration’s Effect on Economic Mobility September 23, 2010 - Incarceration reduces former inmates' earnings by 40 percent and limits their future economic mobility \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Arkansas: Improving Public Safety and Containing Corrections Costs June 04, 2010 - Arkansas policy makers are considering data-driven alternatives that will contain prison growth while protecting public safety. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Prison Count 2010: State Population Declines for the First Time in 38 Years April 01, 2010 - The prison population declined in 26 states, while increasing in 24 states and in the federal system. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
The Impact of Hawaii's HOPE Program on Drug Use, Crime and Recidivism January 15, 2010 - Probationers in the HOPE program were less likely to be arrested for a new crime, use drugs and have their probation revoked. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Right-Sizing Prisons January 07, 2010 - With corrections spending on the rise, business leaders are advocating for policies that reduce crime and cut costs. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Cutting Corrections Costs July 31, 2009 - This report examines sentencing and corrections policies that can help states navigate the budget crunch. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
The Fiscal Crisis in Corrections July 31, 2009 - In FY 2010, 26 states reduced their departments of corrections budgets. This report descirbes how states absorbed the cuts. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Maximum Impact: Targeting Supervision on Higher-Risk People, Places and Times July 17, 2009 - States can cut corrections costs by helping probation and parole agencies focus their efforts on higher-risk offenders. \| Public Safety Performance Project Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Justice Reinvestment Brief: Wisconsin June 19, 2009 - This brief is part of a series for state policymakers interested in learning how particular states across the country have employed a data-driven strategy called justice reinvestment to better manage corrections spending, increase public safety, and redirect some of the savings toward efforts that will improve conditions in the neighborhoods to which most people released from prison return. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Arming the Courts with Research May 05, 2009 - This policy brief outlines 10 strategies for evidence-based sentencing that would allow states to reduce their crime rates while conserving state resources to meet other important needs. The brief is adapted from a longer paper by Roger Warren, president emeritus of the National Center for State Courts, that was originally published in a special 2007 issue of the Indiana Law Journal. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
One in 31 March 02, 2009 - Explosive growth in the number of people on probation or parole has propelled the population of the American corrections system to more than 7.3 million, or 1 in every 31 U.S. adults, according to a new report. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Strengthen Community Corrections December 15, 2008 - Pew has worked with leading practitioners and researchers to identify strategies for improving community corrections and making the best use of taxpayers’ investments in public safety. A Policy Framework to Strengthen Community Corrections is the result. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Putting Public Safety First December 02, 2008 - "13 Strategies for Successful Supervision and Reentry" enumerates strategies that can reduce recidivism and hold offenders accountable for their actions, while also cutting substance abuse and unemployment, and restoring family bonds. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Hope Research Brief August 01, 2008 - A research brief prepared by Dr. Angela Hawken and Dr. Mark Kleiman. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Getting in Sync: State-Local Fiscal Partnerships for Public Safety July 28, 2008 - Some offenders need to be put in prison. Others can be managed safely on probation in the community. But judges and prosecutors often face the difficult task of figuring out what to do with defendants who don't fit cleanly into either group. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States July 22, 2008 - The project currently provides nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise to selected states, including: Alabama Arizona California Connecticut Illinois Kansas Michigan Nebraska Nevada New Jersey Pennsylvania Rhode Island Texas Vermont Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Michigan July 22, 2008 - The project selected Michigan to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
State Sentencing Guidelines: Profiles and Continuum July 01, 2008 - National Center for State Courts has developed a set of “State Sentencing Commission Profiles” to present what is currently happening in practice. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Assessing Consistency and Fairness in Sentencing: A Comparative Study in Three States May 22, 2008 - States that employ sentencing guidelines, a reform effort that encourages judges to take specific legally relevant elements into account during the sentencing process, are found to have more predictability, reduced discrimination, and increased transparency in sentencing, according to a study released today by the National Center for State Courts. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Ten Steps Corrections Directors Can Take to Strengthen Performance May 20, 2008 - “Ten Steps Corrections Directors Can Take to Strengthen Performance" showcases innovative strategies to improve correctional systems’ performance, transparency and accountability. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Expert Q&A: The Impact of Incarceration on Crime April 10, 2008 - Dr. Alfred Blumstein and Dr. James Q. Wilson discuss the degree to which increased incarceration deserves credit for the drop in crime across the nation. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
One in 100: Behind Bars in America 2008 February 28, 2008 - A new report by Pew's Public Safety Performance Project details how, for the first time in history, more than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison—a fact that significantly impacts state budgets without delivering a clear return on public safety. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Nevada February 27, 2008 - The project selected Nevada to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Nevada February 27, 2008 - A profile of Nevada that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Vermont February 27, 2008 - A profile of Vermont that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Vermont February 27, 2008 - The project selected Vermont to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in New Jersey February 27, 2008 - The project selected New Jersey to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Recent and Projected Growth of the Arizona Prison Population February 13, 2008 - An analysis of recent and projected growth in Arizona's prison population and spending, prepared by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Reducing Crime and Generation Savings- Options for Arizona Policymakers February 13, 2008 - An analysis of how to reduce crime in Arizona's prison population and and generate savings, prepared by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Expert Q&A- Changing Direction: A Bipartisan Team Paves a New Path for Sentencing and Corrections in Texas January 31, 2008 - Changing Direction: A Bipartisan Team Paves a New Path for Sentencing and Corrections in Texas. A conversation with Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston) and Representative Jerry Madden (R-Plano) of Texas. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Increasing Public Safety and Generating Savings: Options for Vermont Policymakers January 18, 2008 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this analysis of Vermont’s prison population, its drivers and costs, and the projected prison bed and spending impacts of several policy reform packages. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Recent and Projected Growth in the Vermont Prison Population January 08, 2008 - An analysis of recent and projected growth in Vermont's prison population and spending, prepared by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Nebraska January 02, 2008 - The project selected Nebraska to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Kansas January 02, 2008 - The project selected Kansas to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Illinois January 02, 2008 - The project selected Illinois to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Pennsylvania January 02, 2008 - The project selected Pennsylvania to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Statistics and Facts January 02, 2008 - A compilation of facts and statistics about the nation’s corrections population and prison spending. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Rhode Island January 02, 2008 - The project selected Rhode Island to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in California January 02, 2008 - The project selected California to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. The state’s prison system is in crisis and leaders at the state and local level are actively exploring ways to manage the current prison and parole populations, as well as reform sentencing laws and reduce the high rate of recidivism. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Connecticut January 02, 2008 - The project selected Connecticut to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Public Safety Performace Project: Frequently Asked Questions January 02, 2008 - Here are some frequently asked questions about the Public Safety Performance Project, and states’ eligibility to participate. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Texas January 02, 2008 - The project selected Texas to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Alabama January 02, 2008 - The project selected Alabama to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Work in the States: Sentencing and Corrections in Arizona January 02, 2008 - The project selected Arizona to receive intensive, nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise. Among other factors, its leaders have demonstrated both a bipartisan commitment to explore meaningful policy change and a dedication to collecting and using criminal justice data as a basis for sound reforms. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Public Safety Performance Partners December 03, 2007 - The Public Safety Performance Project works with the Pew Center on the States and five national partners, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Center for State Courts, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Governors Association and the Vera Institute of Justice, to provide expert, nonpartisan information and assistance to states. The Project also collaborates with selected governmental, nonprofit and academic partners in the states. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Public Safety Policy Brief: When Offenders Break the Rules – Smart Responses to Parole and Probation Violations November 19, 2007 - Learn how innovative policy makers are safely and cost-effectively managing a leading driver of prison admissions: parolees and probationers who break the rules of their community supervision. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Key Questions: When Offenders Break the Rules – Smart Responses to Parole and Probation Violations November 19, 2007 - Here are nine critical questions for every policy maker and practitioner interested in safely and cost-effectively managing a leading driver of their prison admissions: parolees and probationers who break the rules of their community supervision. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Expert Q&A: What Works in Community Corrections - An Interview with Dr. Joan Petersilia November 16, 2007 - Dr. Joan Petersilia is one of the nation’s most respected experts on community corrections. She spoke with Pew’s Public Safety Performance Project about what policy makers should know about the research on these critical programs. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Key Questions: You Get What You Measure – Compstat for Community Corrections November 14, 2007 - Here are seven critical questions for every policy maker and practitioner interested in getting the best results from their parole and probation systems. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Public Safety Policy Brief: You Get What You Measure - Compstat for Community Corrections November 14, 2007 - As parole and probation agencies heed the call to manage for results, they are looking to models like the New York City Police Department’s Compstat program. See how the selection of performance indicators, the development of information tracking and reporting systems, and the adoption of accountability mechanisms like “live audits” can improve the public safety returns on taxpayer dollars resulting in less crime, fewer victims and offenders who become law-abiding citizens. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Justice Reinvestment Brief: Kansas November 02, 2007 - This brief is part of a series for state policymakers interested in learning how particular states across the country have employed a data-driven strategy called justice reinvestment to better manage corrections spending, increase public safety, and redirect some of the savings toward efforts that will improve conditions in the neighborhoods to which most people released from prison return. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Justice Reinvestment Brief: Texas November 02, 2007 - This brief is part of a series for state policymakers interested in learning how particular states across the country have employed a data-driven strategy called justice reinvestment to better manage corrections spending, increase public safety, and redirect some of the savings toward efforts that will improve conditions in the neighborhoods to which most people released from prison return. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
California Sentencing and Corrections: The Role of the Judiciary November 01, 2007 - Leading policy makers and judges convened on Sept. 7, 2007 at the Stanford Criminal Justice Center to explore the role of the judiciary in California’s unfolding corrections crisis. Key discussion points included judicial sentencing authority, the use of risk assessment instruments, and the propriety of judicial involvement in legislative and public deliberations of sentencing policy. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
State/County Criminal Justice Partnerships in California: An Abbreviated History June 12, 2007 - An account of the struggle between the State of California and its counties to allocate fiscal and administrative burdens in a manner that balances public safety needs with budgetary realities. Stanford Law School’s Criminal Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this document for the June 8, 2007 Executive Session of leading state and local policy makers. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections in California June 12, 2007 - An overview of the institutional challenges now facing California in the area of sentencing and corrections; the immediate legal constraints under which the state is operating; and the range of legislative and administrative proposals now under public discussion to solve these issues. Stanford Law School's Criminal Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this document for a May 22, 2007 Executive Session with the state’s prosecutors. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
California Sentencing and Corrections: Inter-County Comparisons June 12, 2007 - An analysis of sentencing policies and practices in six California counties. Stanford Law School's Criminal Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, presented this document during a May 22, 2007 Executive Session with the state’s prosecutors. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Increasing Public Safety and Generating Savings: Options for Pennsylvania Policy Makers June 04, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this analysis of Pennsylvania’s prison population, its drivers and costs, and the projected prison bed and spending impacts of several policy reform packages. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Justice Reinvestment: Increasing Public Safety and Managing the Growth of Pennsylvania’s Prison Population June 04, 2007 - Two presentations prepared by Public Safety Performance Project partner the Council of State Governments Justice Center. The first (pages 1-22) explores the current strains on Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system and provides prison bed and cost projections for several policy reform options. The second (pages 23-34) describes the challenges posed by inmates with mental illness, reviews the research on effective interventions, and identifies two policy options. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Mid Legislative Session Report: Funding Correctional Treatment and Diversion Initiatives in Texas May 02, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this detailed analysis of the Whitmire/Madden Correctional Treatment and Diversion Plan for policy maker consideration. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Comparison of Texas Budget Proposals to Manage the Growth of the Prison Population and Increase Public Safety May 02, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this two-page analysis that compares public safety and prison funding as requested by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and as recommended by the Senate and House for fiscal years 2008-2009. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Increasing Public Safety and Generating Savings: Options for Rhode Island Policy Makers April 03, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this two-page analysis of Rhode Island’s prison population along with the prison bed and spending implications of several policy reform options. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Tough and Smart: Opportunities for Kansas Policymakers to Reduce Crime and Spending (Briefing) April 02, 2007 - The Council of State Governments' Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this two-page analysis of Kansas’ prison population along with policy options projected to reduce crime and prison spending. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Tough and Smart: Opportunities for Kansas Policy Makers to Reduce Crime and Spending (Slideshow) April 02, 2007 - Two presentations prepared by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner. The first (pages 1-12) describes the strain on Kansas’ criminal justice system, analyzes policy options designed to relieve that strain and presents sustainable neighborhood-based strategies. The second (pages 13-22) describes the principals of effective treatment, analyzes the treatment needs of Kansas’ probationers, and outlines challenges and opportunities for Kansas’ policy makers. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Policy Options to Increase Public Safety and Manage the Growth of the Prison Population in Kansas March 06, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this detailed four-page analysis of the prison-bed and spending implications of several policy reform packages. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Public Safety, Public Spending: Forecasting America's Prison Population 2007 - 2011 February 14, 2007 - This report is the first known attempt to determine the future growth of the nation’s state and federal prison systems as a whole, along with the projected cost of that growth. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Reform Case Study: Alabama February 14, 2007 - Alabama’s corrections system is dramatically overcrowded. Some 27,000 prisoners are incarcerated in facilities designed to hold approximately 13,000, while a growing share of the state’s correctional resources has been devoted to incarcerating nonviolent prisoners (i.e., drug and alcohol offenses). See how the creation of a sentencing commission, plus a task force formed by Governor Bob Riley, helped Alabama eliminate an 800-inmate backlog in county jails, divert low-level offenders from prison to community-based punishments, and put the state on a path that could lead to a reduction of more than 2,400 inmates by December 2009. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Reform Case Study: Connecticut February 14, 2007 - By 2002, Connecticut’s prison population growth exceeded both regional and national trends — leaving the state with a prison overcrowding crisis. See how the Public Safety Performance Project and its partner, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, helped Connecticut go from one of the nation’s fastest-growing prison populations to the second-largest population decrease in the country. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Reform Case Study: Kansas February 14, 2007 - By 2004, high rates of parole and probation revocations were greatly contributing to growth in Kansas’ prison population and corrections expenditures. See how the Public Safety Performance Project and its partner, the Council of State Governments, helped reduce the number of monthly parole revocations in Kansas by 50 percent over the next two years. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Reform Case Study: Nebraska February 14, 2007 - The Nebraska prison system has been over capacity since the 1980s. If nothing changes, the system will be at 155 percent of capacity by 2015. More than half the inmates in Nebraska’s prisons are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses. See how a working group established in 2001, with federally funded support from the Vera Institute of Justice, carefully evaluated the state’s sentencing and corrections laws — and the impact made by the group’s identification of two key areas where change could lead to better outcomes. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Reform Case Study: North Carolina February 14, 2007 - North Carolina once had the highest incarceration rate in the nation. Because the state was incarcerating so many people, its prisons were bulging, and space limitations forced it to release serious offenders after serving only a small percentage of their sentences. See how North Carolina adopted sentencing and corrections reforms that allowed it to increase sentences for serious offenders, prioritize prison space to ensure that these offenders actually served their full sentences, and provide safe and cost-effective community punishments for those offenders who did not need to be incarcerated. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Rhode Island February 13, 2007 - A profile of Rhode Island that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Kansas February 13, 2007 - A profile of Kansas that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Texas February 13, 2007 - A profile of Texas that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Illinois February 13, 2007 - A profile of Illinois that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Arizona February 13, 2007 - A profile of Arizona that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Alabama February 13, 2007 - A profile of Alabama that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Sentencing and Corrections Profile: Nebraska February 13, 2007 - A profile of Nebraska that provides statistical and analytical data about its sentencing and corrections systems, describes factors shaping those systems, and highlights opportunities for reform. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Justice Reinvestment: A Framework to Improve the Effectiveness of Justice Policies in Texas January 31, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this slideshow analyzing the Texas prison system and provided policy options as part of its Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Policy Options to Increase Public Safety and to Manage the Growth of the Prison Population January 29, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this detailed two-page analysis of the prison bed and spending implications of several policy reform options available to Texas policy makers. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Texas Justice Reinvestment Scenarios January 29, 2007 - The Council of State Governments Justice Center, a Public Safety Performance Project partner, prepared this summary of the prison-bed and spending implications of several policy reform options. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)
Chicago Metropolis 2020: 2006 Crime and Justice Index October 02, 2006 - An ambitious catalogue of crime, its cost and the criminal justice response as documented by Chicago Metropolis 2020, a Public Safety Performance Project partner. Read: Summary View: Full Report(Adobe PDF)

News

Pew in the Media	April 13, 2011 - More Than 40 Percent of Ex-Cons Return to Prison
Press Release	March 03, 2011 - Pew Applauds Kentucky Leaders for Comprehensive Public Safety Reforms
News Article	June 14, 2010 - As Prison Population Drops, Push On to Curb Recidivism
Opinion Editorial	June 14, 2010 - Sentencing Reform Law Will Make S.C. Safer
News Article	June 03, 2010 - New Law Changes Criminal Sentencing
Press Release	June 02, 2010 - Pew Applauds South Carolina's Leaders for Comprehensive Sentencing Reforms
News Article	May 30, 2010 - How Can Georgia Turn Lawbreakers Into Taxpayers?
News Article	May 23, 2010 - A Billion Dollar Burden or Justice?
Opinion Editorial	May 03, 2010 - Common-sense Prison Reform Will Save Money, Make S.C. Safer
Opinion Editorial	April 08, 2010 - Corrections Centers Are Vital For Communities
News Article	April 04, 2010 - Georgia Prison Population, Costs on Rise
Pew in the Media	March 25, 2010 - State Prison Population Dropping
Opinion Editorial	March 24, 2010 - Florida's Big Growth Trend: New Prisons
News Article	March 20, 2010 - More Ex-Cons on the Streets, Fewer Jobs
Press Release	March 17, 2010 - Pew Survey Shows State Prison Population Dropped in 2009
News Article	March 17, 2010 - New Prison Report: Some Slight Cause for Encouragement
News Article	March 14, 2010 - Unneeded Prison in Nevada Eludes Budget Ax
Opinion Editorial	March 01, 2010 - Virginia Rarely Grants Geriatric Parole
News Article	February 28, 2010 - Vermont Tops List of States Spending More on Prison Than College
News Article	February 24, 2010 - Early Release of Prisoners Discussed
Opinion Editorial	February 22, 2010 - Shorter Sentences Ease Budget Strain
News Article	February 21, 2010 - North Carolina Working To Stem Prison Crowding Problems
Press Release	January 27, 2010 - Congressional Leaders Take on Recidivism and Corrections Spending
Opinion Editorial	January 10, 2010 - Reforms Can Safely Cut Prison Population and State Costs
Opinion Editorial	January 09, 2010 - Common Sense on Prison, Education Funds
News Article	January 08, 2010 - Prisoners of Parole
Opinion Editorial	January 08, 2010 - Can New Hampshire Improve Corrections While Spending Less?
Opinion Editorial	January 03, 2010 - Prisons and Budgets
News Article	December 15, 2009 - Texas Cuts Costs Amid Prison Reform
News Article	November 19, 2009 - Dallas DA Promotes Implementing 'Smart Justice'
News Article	November 18, 2009 - Florida's Prison Problem Could Find a Solution in Texas
Press Release	November 17, 2009 - Pew Applauds Bipartisan Legislation to Help States Get a Better Return on Their Public Safety Dollars
News Article	November 16, 2009 - Tampa Hosts Two-Day Forum on Prison Reform and Crime Prevention
Pew in the Media	October 04, 2009 - States Search for Innovation to Reduce Prison Populations
Opinion Editorial	September 21, 2009 - An Opportunity in Prison Budget Cuts
Opinion Editorial	August 15, 2009 - Getting Smart on Crime
News Article	July 13, 2009 - States Seek Less Costly Substitutes for Prison
News Article	July 13, 2009 - America's Jail Crisis
Opinion Editorial	July 05, 2009 - Reform Sentencing Guidelines
Opinion Editorial	May 11, 2009 - Shrinking the Prison Population
Press Release	March 02, 2009 - 1 in 31 U.S. Adults are Behind Bars, on Parole or Probation
Press Release	February 24, 2009 - Pew Findings Provide First 50-State Comparison of Corrections Populations and Costs
Pew in the Media	February 09, 2009 - S.C. ETV The Big Picture: Cost-effective Corrections Policy
News Article	July 11, 2008 - Too Many Prisoners: States Should Stop Warehousing Nonviolent Offenders
News Article	May 22, 2008 - Study: Sentencing guidelines ease discrimination
Press Release	May 22, 2008 - New Study Finds State Guidelines Boost Consistency, Reduce Discrimination in Sentencing
Pew in the Media	May 09, 2008 - In Your State: Prison Costs
News Article	March 25, 2008 - Criminal Intent
Pew in the Media	March 20, 2008 - Cutting the Prison Rate Safely
Pew in the Media	February 29, 2008 - Online Discussion on Prison Report
News Article	February 29, 2008 - National Report on Prisons: Georgia No. 2 in Percentage of Prison Inmates
Pew in the Media	February 28, 2008 - 1 in 100 U.S. Adults Behind Bars, New Study Says
Pew in the Media	February 28, 2008 - Record-High Ratio of Americans in Prison
Press Release	February 28, 2008 - Pew Report Finds More than One in 100 Adults are Behind Bars
Press Release	January 08, 2008 - Vermont’s Prison Population Projected to Grow 23 Percent
Opinion Editorial	October 09, 2007 - The Prison Boom Rolls On
Press Release	April 16, 2007 - Nevada’s Prison Population Will Increase 61% by 2017 if Current Policies Remain Unchanged
Press Release	February 14, 2007 - Prison Growth Could Cost Up to $27.5 Billion Over Next 5 Years
News Article	February 14, 2007 - Study Predicts Rise in Inmate Populations
Press Release	February 06, 2007 - Arizona’s Prison Population Projected to Grow Twice as Fast as General Resident Population, Independent Study Finds

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