Tag: effectiveness

Monographs & Reports, toptag

Recidivism: Use with Caution

A Deceptively Simple Measure in a Complex and Contentious System by Sumita (Mira) Das and Jeffrey A. Butts John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center June 2026 The foundations of recidivism as an outcome measure presume that interventions by the criminal justice system reduce future criminality. As interventions become more severe, reaching a pinnacle with incarceration, the effects on criminality should increase. Yet, criminological research … Continue reading Recidivism: Use with Caution

Unknown's avatarJeffreyButts
Trade

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.

Unknown's avatarJeffreyButts
Regional Print

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

Unknown's avatarJeffreyButts
Regional Print

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

Unknown's avatarJeffreyButts