The Problem

After several decades in which an ever-wider array of new and costly policies has emerged, America's criminal justice system stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, the United States can continue to invest billions of dollars in policies that may not be needed and may not work. On the other, it can heed recent calls for increased government accountability and reliance on evidence-based strategies. The latter path holds the promise of helping to place criminal justice policy on a solid foundation that cost-effectively reduces crime, helps offenders become contributing members of society, increases justice, and assists victims and the families and communities affected by crime.

Some signs suggest that the country is pursuing accountability and evidence-based policy, and thus indicate grounds for optimism. Many states, for example, are increasingly committed to identifying and implementing “best practices” for working with offenders. Also, the very fact that the terms accountability and evidence-based policy frequently turn up in policy discussions underscores that policy makers and the public want the criminal justice system to be held to a high bar.

Even so, significant cause for alarm exists. Consider the rapid expansion of the U.S. prison population, which grew by more than 370 percent between 1980 and 2008 and far exceeded growth in the general population or in crime. This growth has generated increased costs for the correctional system, with expenditures that have increased 7.5 percent annually since 1990.