How many inmates return to prison? Inconsistent reporting makes it hard to tell.

States define recidivism differently, which can result in misleading interpretations of the statistics. by AMANDA HERNÁNDEZ Stateline December 11, 2023 Several states this year have reported lower rates of recidivism, showing that fewer convicted criminals are being re-arrested after leaving prison. But those statistics hardly tell the full story. Recidivism rates across the country can vary greatly because of how they’re defined, how the data … Continue reading How many inmates return to prison? Inconsistent reporting makes it hard to tell.

Onondaga County Considering “Violence Interrupter” Program, First of its Kind in Syracuse

Dr. Jeffrey Butts, the director of research at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has studied violence interruption programs at the national level. He explained that it’s difficult to quantify just how effective these programs are, as violence interrupters in other cities primarily deal with trying to change the community culture through relationships to avoid violence. Continue reading Onondaga County Considering “Violence Interrupter” Program, First of its Kind in Syracuse

Toledo Blade — Violence Interrupters: How to Measure Success in Toledo and Beyond

“They should not operate in hostility to law enforcement…but they need to operate almost autonomously,” said Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. “If the neighborhood starts to think that these programs are in cahoots with law enforcement, the young people in the neighborhood will stop talking to the workers.” Continue reading Toledo Blade — Violence Interrupters: How to Measure Success in Toledo and Beyond

Brooklyn Daily Eagle — Can you put a price on a life taken by gun violence? That’s the $36M question.

“People have tried to put a number on the cost of a death. If someone is shot — even injured — much less killed, there are policing costs,” Butts told the Brooklyn Eagle. “Someone has to show up to process the scene. There are prison costs for the shooter, and then all the other costs for family who have a person shot and or killed. There’s lifelong trauma, loss of income. You can actually estimate the total cost.” Continue reading Brooklyn Daily Eagle — Can you put a price on a life taken by gun violence? That’s the $36M question.