Massachusetts’ Evidence-Based Approach to Reducing Recidivism

Issue Brief Read time:
Projects: Results First
Massachusetts’ Approach to Reducing Recidivism

In March 2012, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo invited the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative to collaborate with the Special Commission to Study the Commonwealth’s Criminal Justice System. Through this effort, Massachusetts is laying the groundwork for a strong evidence-based approach to policymaking that can decrease criminal justice spending, reduce crime, and improve public safety.

Massachusetts’ Results First model uses state-specific data to compare the costs and long-term benefits of a variety of programs and policies. With guidance from the commission, officials and researchers from the commonwealth’s public safety agencies implemented the model to analyze adult criminal and juvenile justice programs. Officials used the Results First approach to:

  • Target approximately $4 million in funding toward evidence-based criminal justice programs.
  • Expand participation in effective but underused programs.
  • Educate policymakers on the high cost of recidivism.
  • Educate policymakers on the high cost of recidivism.
Downloads Overview (PDF)Case Study (PDF)
Downloads Overview (PDF)Case Study (PDF)
America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
MEDIA CONTACT
Esther Berg Officer, Communications 202.552.2283
RELATED
Tags
Public safety
Projects
Results First
Places
Massachusetts

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

High angle aerial view of Indianapolis and the White River park

Article

May 23, 2023 How States Are Boosting Broadband with Pandemic Funds
Low Angle View Of Bird And Silhouette Fence Against Sky During Sunset

Issue Brief

May 16, 2023 Racial Disparities Persist in Many U.S. Jails
Three workers, wearing waders or high boots, stand on the muddy banks of the brook. A yellow piece of construction machinery sits on the opposite bank.

Article

April 17, 2023 Local Flood Resilience Efforts Get Boost From States

MORE FROM PEW

A scuba diver wearing a black full-body wetsuit and a pale-yellow air tank glides through fairly clear, shallow waters above an expansive bed of seagrasses. The diver is holding a thin line that extends toward the surface, and silhouettes of some small fish are visible in the background. How Maps Inform Climate and Conservation Decisions
Three men in baseball caps, visible only from above, are examining dead swordfish—silvery in color and laid out on a concrete floor with their signature swords cut off. There are about a dozen fish on the floor, each about four to five feet long. Japan Poised to Lead on Fisheries Oversight in Pacific
A close-up of a dark-brown-skinned woman’s hand holding a cellphone. She wears a beaded bracelet and is sitting beside a brick wall and a window. Most U.S. Adults Remain Unaware of 988 Crisis Lifeline
A white, medium-sized plastic bag lies on a thick lawn of grass. In the background is the Eiffel Tower, a number of lampposts, and three pedestrians passing by. Push to End Plastic Pollution Must Take Comprehensive Approach
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?