JPRC

Examining Prison Effects on Recidivism: A Regression Discontinuity Approach (RDD in Crime and Justice Project Study Summary #1)

Violence Prevention

Examining Prison Effects on Recidivism: A Regression Discontinuity Approach (RDD in Crime and Justice Project Study Summary #1)

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This study summary prepared by Jonathan Nakamoto and Trent Baskerville explores the impact of prison sentences on recidivism rates. The study, conducted by Ojmarrh Mitchell, Joshua C. Cochran, Daniel P. Mears, and William D. Bales, focuses on Florida’s point system for sentencing and uses a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) to evaluate the effects of prison versus nonprison sanctions on subsequent reconviction rates.

The authors analyzed data from the Florida Department of Corrections and found that there was no statistically significant difference in reconviction rates between cases just above and cases just below the cutoff score for imprisonment. This suggests that prison sentences did not lead to a reduction in recidivism over a 3-year period for mostly nonviolent property and drug offenders near the cutoff score. The study concludes that alternative sanctions may be more effective for these types of offenders considering he high costs associated with imprisonment.

Push and Pull Factors for Female Involvement in Gangs and Collateral Involvement in Sex Trafficking: Systematic Review of Research

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Until recently, research on the roles of females in gangs has been minimal because violence and gang membership have historically been thought to be male-dominated phenomena. This paper addresses the knowledge gap by focusing specifically on females and the unique factors contributing to their gang involvement.

As part of a project by the JPRC in partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the paper presents a systematic review of research on factors that “push” or “pull” females toward gang involvement. The factors identified by the research include peer and family environment, victimization, neighborhood and school influences, and sex trafficking involvement.

The paper helps school staff and administrators consider prevention strategies to dissuade all students from future gang involvement. Given the overlap between various forms of prior sexual abuse and female gang involvement, close coordination between program developers, implementation staff, and community providers who support victims of sexual crimes may be important to best support victims and deter them from future gang involvement.

Additionally, community prevention strategies should consider a strong collaboration with schools to identify and intervene with current gang members and prevent younger siblings from future involvement. The findings also suggest a need for further research on gender-specific interventions to prevent female gang involvement.

What is the Regression Discontinuity Design and How Can it be Used to Evaluate Crime and Justice Interventions?

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This short article provides information about the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD), to promote awareness of the strengths of the evaluation method to the justice community. It provides a rationale for use of RDD, describes the methodology underlying the design, and highlights a Florida RDD study. It concludes with a call for more RDDs when appropriate to build our knowledge about crime and justice.

 

Regression Discontinuity Design: A Method to Rigorously Evaluate Interventions to Reduce Crime and Improve the Justice System

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To address challenges within traditional research designs for crime reduction and justice system improvement, this brief provides information about the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) method.

The brief shares a comprehensive overview of the RDD method that emphasizes its significance and efficacy in evaluating interventions in real-world scenarios. It advocates for increased RDD adoption, highlighting ethical advantages and its potential for accurate and applicable research outcomes.

Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking ethical, practical, and data-driven approaches to intervention evaluation will also find practical guidance for employing RDD.

The PA Peace Alliance Website

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The JPRC serves as the technical assistance provider to organizations receiving violence prevention funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). To better serve the grantees and the PCCD, the JPRC and WestEd’s Communications Department developed the PA Peace Alliance website. The site provides opportunities to connect with and learn from peers and subject matter experts, access to live training opportunities, and includes a robust digital library.