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Evidence and Liberty: The Promise of Experimental Criminology Lawrence W. Sherman Wolfson Professor of Criminology Director Jerry Lee Centre for Experimental Criminology Institute of Criminology Cambridge University
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OUR PURPOSE: Jerry Lee Centre of Experimental Criminology Advancement of human liberty on the basis of Experimental Evidence
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Evidence and Liberty “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32.
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1781: “Property” Overboard?
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The 1785 Latin Prize Anne Liceat Invitos in Servitutem Dare? (“Is it lawful to make slaves of others against their will?“)
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Evidence Giant Thomas Clarkson
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Wade’s Mill, Herts.
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Sugar Boycott 1791
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Abu Ghraib Prison
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7 RCT Tests of A Drug on Infant Mortality
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From Joanna Shapland, et al, 2008, p. 27 Effects of Restorative Justice on Re-Conviction
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Did Program Cause Crime Drop?
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Randomized Controlled Trial RCT: COMPARISON or NET difference
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From Joanna Shapland, et al, 2008, p. 27 Effects of Restorative Justice on Re-Conviction
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Early Release From Prison
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Fortune-Tellers
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“Not Experimentally Proven”
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Crown Court Sentences “Not Experimentally Proven”
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Three Hardest Words I Don’t Know….
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Evidence Into action Bottom-up Discretion Top-Down Guidance
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Bottom-Up Discretion
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Top-Down Guidance
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From Joanna Shapland, et al, 2008, p. 27 Effects of Restorative Justice on Re-Conviction
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List of Studies Included Offender N 1. Australia RISE Canberra <30 years violence 100 2. Australia RISE Canberra juvenile personal property249 3. Australia RISE Canberra juvenile shoplifting142 4. Australia RISE Canberra Driving Under Influence 897 5. US Indianapolis juvenile property/violence 782 6. US Bethlehem PA juvenile property143 7. US Bethlehem PA juvenile violence 79 8. UK Northumbria juvenile property/violence 208 9. UK Northumbria adult property 63 10. UK Northumbria adult assault 44 11. UK London robbery 88 12. UK London burglary167 13. UK Thames Valley violence – probation 64 14. UK Thames Valley violence – prison 94 Total offender N = 3,120
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Conventional Wisdom RJ is best for less serious crime “Inappropriate” for violence RJ is best for children (under 18) “Inappropriate” for Adults
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RESULTS 2-Year Reconvictions (Standard UK criterion for success) Frequency Prevalence Cost
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First Question In general, what effect does Face-to-face RJ meetings have on frequency of reconvictions, across different points of criminal justice process with personal victims intended to be there? ANSWER: 9 out of 10 tests show less crime
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Personal Victims: % Change* in Reconviction Frequency *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 2 What Effect Does RJ have on Frequency of Reconviction All tests 10 with victims present 2 not victims present Answer: 10 out of 12 show less frequency Not one increase in UK (Australia only)
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Percent Change* in the Frequency of Reconviction *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 3 What effect does Face-to-face RJ have on Frequency of Reconviction In Violent Crime Experiments Youth and Adult Combined Answer: 5 out of 5 violence tests show less crime
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Percent Change* in the Frequency of Reconviction – Violence Exps *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 4 What Effect Does RJ have on Frequency of Reconviction on Property Crime Offenders Youth and Adult Combined Answer: 3 out 4 tests show less crime Effects not as big, or as prevalent, as for violence RJ WORKS BETTER FOR MORE SERIOUS CRIME
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Percent Change* in the Frequency of Reconviction – Property Exps *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 5 What Effect Does Face-to-Face RJ Have on Youth Crime Property and Violent US, UK, Australia? Answer: 3 out of 4 tests show less crime
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Percent Change* in the Frequency of Reconviction – Youth Exps *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 6 What Effect Does Face-to-Face RJ Have on Adult Crime Property and Violent US, UK, Australia? Answer: 6 out of 6 tests on adults = less crime Effects bigger than for juveniles
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Percent Change* in the Frequency of Reconviction – Adult Exps *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Question 7 Does Face-to-Face RJ Reduce frequency of reconviction more when developers do their own evaluation, or when someone else evaluates the RJ conferences in a randomized trial? ANSWER: Bigger effects with independent evaluators!
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Percent Change* Reconviction Frequency—Our Own Tests *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Change* Reconviction Frequency— Independent Evaluators *per person, RJ Group compared with Control Group
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Yes, Minister --All policies decided at Highest levels --More politics --Less evidence?
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A NICE Approach National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
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NICE Hypertension Guidance
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Hot Spots of Crime (Density Distribution of Violent Offenses in Tokyo)
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A NICE, NPIA (?) Approach National Policing Improvement Agency
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Koper Curve
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Algorithm for Hot Spot Patrol 1.Define Hot Spots 2.Identify Locations 3.Add Extra Police Patrols 4.Make All Patrols Unpredictable 5.Stay 11-14 minutes Only 6.Add extra patrol if crime persists
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Evidence-Based Policing
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From Evidence to Liberty 1.Identify key questions
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From Evidence to Liberty 1.Identify key questions 2. Formulate testable hypotheses
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From Evidence to Liberty 1.Identify key questions 2. Formulate testable hypotheses 3. Conduct randomized experiments
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From Evidence to Liberty 1.Identify key questions 2. Formulate testable hypotheses 3. Conduct randomized experiments 4. Conduct quasi-experiments
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From Evidence to Liberty 1.Identify key questions 2. Formulate testable hypotheses 3. Conduct randomized experiments 4. Conduct quasi-experiments 5. Identify all good evidence
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From Evidence to Liberty 6. Synthesize in META-ANALYSIS
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From Evidence to Liberty 6. Synthesize in META-ANALYSIS 7. Present to small expert groups
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From Evidence to Liberty 6. Synthesize in META-ANALYSIS 7. Present research to small expert groups 8. Develop succinct guidance
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From Evidence to Liberty 6. Synthesize in META-ANALYSIS 7. Present research to small expert groups 8. Develop succinct guidance 9. Communicate or promulgate the guidance
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From Evidence to Liberty 6. Synthesize in META-ANALYSIS 7. Present research to small expert groups 8. Develop succinct guidance 9. Communicate or promulgate the guidance 10. Test Methods for compliance
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Prospective Meta-Analysis By A “REX-Net”: Randomized Experiments Network
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The Promise of Experimental Criminology The advancement of human liberty on the basis of experimental evidence
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Evidence and Liberty: The Promise of Experimental Criminology Lawrence W. Sherman Wolfson Professor of Criminology Director Jerry Lee Centre for Experimental Criminology Institute of Criminology Cambridge University
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