What is the most cost-effective sentencing approach: imprisonment, community service, or electronic monitoring?

Background

Delivering the Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice requires a whole system approach as recognised in its four underpinning core principles: ‘Founded in equality and human rights’,’ Evidence-based’, ‘Embed person-centred and trauma-informed practices’ and, ‘Collaboration and Partnership’. As such, Justice Analytical Services have identified the theme of ‘Whole Justice System Analysis’ as a research priority. This theme includes holistic research into justice equalities, justice economics and justice as a system – robust research on all of these topics will inform work towards the Vision for Justice aims.

Next steps

Get in touch with Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Justice analytical services areas research interest

Research fields

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Related UKRI funded projects


  • Regulating Justice: The Dynamics of Compliance and Breach in Criminal Justice Social Work in Scotland

    Not only does Scotland imprison more people than most European countries, but our prison numbers are also rising despite a fall in crime levels. The Scottish Government is attempting to reduce imprisonment through increa...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Strathclyde

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project specifically focuses on compliance and breach in criminal justice social work in Scotland, which directly relates to the question about cost-effective sentencing approaches.

  • Make Time Count Today - Reducing criminal reoffending on probation through data analytics, predictive behaviour recognition and optimised interventions

    **Problem Addressed** Crime costs UK economy over £58bn pa, with 1.2mn people convicted annually. Of these, 87% have previous convictions, 60% of released prisoners and 30% on probation reoffend within 12 months. ...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: MAKE TIME COUNT TODAY LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    While the project addresses reducing criminal reoffending through data analytics and interventions, it does not directly compare cost-effectiveness of different sentencing approaches.

  • Plymouth Community Justice Court: A Case Study of Problem Solving Interventions, Reducing Re-offending and Public Confidence

    The criminal justice system has over many years introduced a range of initiatives designed to reduce crime and support offenders in their efforts to desist from crime. One recent initiative, originating in the U.S.A and ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Plymouth University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on problem-solving interventions and reducing re-offending, which is related to the question but does not directly compare cost-effectiveness of different sentencing approaches.

  • Lives Sentenced: The Punishment Careers of Persistent Offenders

    There has been little research examining how those who are punished by the criminal justice system experience and give meaning to their sentences. Research that does exist has largely focused on one single sentence. Howe...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow