The Public Safety Performance Project conducts and publishes groundbreaking research that sheds light on key criminal and juvenile corrections trends and highlights policies and practices that demonstrate better outcomes at less cost.
Research & Analysis
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Federal Prison System Shows Dramatic Long-Term Growth
From 1980 to 2013, the number of offenders incarcerated in federal prisons increased from approximately 24,000 to more than 215,000, making the federal system the largest in the nation. Policy choices contributed significantly to this expansion as lawmakers added criminal laws to the books, lengthened sentences, and abolished parole. Read More
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Public Attitudes Toward Juvenile Justice in West Virginia
West Virginia voters strongly support improving the state’s juvenile justice system by reducing the use of state-funded facilities and reinvesting in community supervision and programming, according to a statewide poll. Read More
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Growth in Federal Prison System Exceeds States'
Between 1980 and 2013, the federal imprisonment rate increased 518 percent while annual taxpayer spending on federal prisons rose 595 percent. Prison expenditures grew from 14 percent of the Justice Department’s total outlays to 23 percent, increasingly competing for resources with law enforcement and national security programs. Read More
