At least 40 states face swelling budget deficits. Likely targets for reductions include the discretionary social programs that protect public safety. Rather than jeopardize the public’s safety and well-being with imprudent cuts, a different and better way out of the financing crunch is explained by two criminologists: the social impact bond. Continue reading The Bond Market and Public Safety
Despite their popularity, there are many unanswered questions about the effectiveness of teen courts. The overall impression one gets from the evaluation literature is positive, but researchers have yet to identify exactly why teen courts work. Most important, studies have not yet investigated whether some teen court models are better than others. Continue reading Teen Courts – Do They Work and Why?
Jeffrey A. Butts and Howard N. Snyder (2007). Where are Juvenile Crime Trends Headed? Juvenile and Family Justice Today. Spring 2007. After 10 years of stunning decreases in violent crime, fretting over a 3 percent increase is like phoning your doctor in the middle of the night because your child’s temperature has reached 99.1 F. Continue reading Where are Juvenile Crime Trends Headed?
Sending juveniles to adult prison is not guaranteed to reduce crime. Research shows that an aggressive system of juvenile treatment may prevent more crime than prosecuting youths as adults and giving them lengthy prison sentences. Continue reading The Oklahoman – Youth System isn’t Broken
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