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

Minor Role III: Youth Under Age 18 and New York City Violence

If recent changes in crime were due to changes in the legal handling of youth under 18, marked age-specific patterns would be observable. Such effects are not found in arrest data from New York City. Thus, it does not appear to be accurate to attribute recent increases in violent crime to the State law known as “Raise the Age.” Continue reading Minor Role III: Youth Under Age 18 and New York City Violence

Evidence-Oriented Youth Justice

Butts, Jeffrey A., John K. Roman, and Katheryne Pugliese (2024). Evidence-oriented youth justice. Oxford Handbook of Evidence-Based Crime and Justice Policy. Brandon C. Welsh, Steven N. Zane, and Daniel P. Mears (Editors). New York: Oxford University Press. The Conclusion of our chapter It is facile to characterize youth justice policymaking as choosing programs that work versus those that do not. To meet the foundational goals … Continue reading Evidence-Oriented Youth Justice