Is Justice Reinvestment Needed in Australia? 2 August 2012 Todd R. Clear Rutgers University

 Treat all correctional costs as “pubic safety investments”  Deemphasize confinement  Effectiveness literature (high and low risk)  Deterrence studies (length of stay)  Invest savings in high-incarceration places  Public safety  Infrastructure  Community quality of life

 Justice Reinvestment through Policy Analysis  Justice reinvestment through local incentives  Justice Reinvestment through private sector bonds

 Analyzes flow in and out of prison  Identifies key decision points to be targeted  Front-end strategies (diversion)  Back-end strategies (recidivism)  Develops plan to change flow rate  Projects savings  Reinvests savings

 Create fiscal incentive to keep cases locally  Jail vs. Prison  Use of cost “formula”  Directly fund local structures that keep people locally by attaching funds to people  Two types  State-operated pay-through  Private sector incentives

 Government offers “Social Investment Bonds”  Bonds specify recidivism targets  Bonds specify target populations  Private companies mount programs  Program recidivism outcomes determine bond payout

 Risk: dealing with the top of the tail  Less then one-third of the cases; maybe much less  Making policies that “ignore” bottom of tail  Criminogenic needs: individual assessments  Limited (or no) generic programming  Purposeful program assignment  Evidence-based programs

 Community-based programs  Strengthen social infrastructure  Support families and children  Create economic activity  Promote health and safety  Evidence-based  Target social capital rather than risky individuals

 Recidivism oriented strategies have low ceiling  Meta-analysis  Risk level limitations  Programs that “fit” (responsivity)  Effect size: 20-40% reduction  Money savings get snatched up  Police get in line  Funding state services not local infrastructure  Funding community surveillance strategies  Not much political support for “doing nothing”

 Move money from prison system to community partners  Follow principles of Risk and Needs  Build proven community prevention programs  Implement policies that reflect public safety with low risk cases  Implement “effective programs” with high risk cases