Read the Urban Institute's Policy Brief - Improving Recidivism as a Performance Measure

The Urban Institute, in coordination with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), released a policy brief titled Improving Recidivism as a Performance Measure. The policy brief outlines the essential elements states should use when defining, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating recidivism data. These four elements are described as:

1. Definition: Use multiple measures of success.
2. Collection: Develop protocols to ensure data are consistent, accurate, and timely.
3. Analysis: Account for the underlying composition of the population.
4. Dissemination: Package the findings to maximize impact and get the results into the hands of decision makers.

Improving recidivism data collection and reporting is a critical first step to advancing our knowledge about what works in sentencing and corrections policy. Government performance can be improved when the outcomes of funding and policy decisions are understood, resulting in the best return on taxpayer investments.

To download the policy brief, click here.