Public Safety, Public SpendingPast Trends and New Directions

Adam GelbPublic Safety Performance ProjectPew Center on the States

American Chamber of Commerce Executives February 17, 2010

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1. Population and costs are at all-time highs

2. Policy choices are responsible

3. Public safety payoff is low

4. Policy debate is being reframed

Key Points

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Incarceration Rate Jumps

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics; Pew Center on the States, “One in 100” report, February 2008.NOTE: Incarceration rate includes sentenced inmates in state and federal institutions, per 100,000 residents.

3

1 in 31 Adults Under Corrections Control

SOURCE: Bureau of Justice Statistics surveys, U.S. Department of Justice.NOTE: Due to offenders with dual status, the sum of these four correctional categories slightly overstates the total population.

4

U.S. is World Incarceration Leader

SOURCE: International Centre for Prison Studies at King’s College, London, “World Prison Brief.” Data downloaded in November 2009.

Total resident population: 304 million

Total resident population: 813 million

5

Admissions and Revocations

SOURCE: Analysis of “Prisoners in 2008,” published December 2009 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. NOTE: Admissions refers to sentenced prisoners admitted into state prisons; all dates are calendar year end.

Parole violators now36% of admissions

6

The Rising Cost of State Corrections

SOURCE: National Association of State Budget Officers, “State Expenditure Report” series; inflation adjusted figures are based on a reanalysis of data in this series. NOTE: These figures represent state general funds. They do not include federal or local government corrections expenditures and typically do not include state funding from other sources.

7

Prisons Dominate Spending

SOURCE: Correctional population calculation based on data from Bureau of Justice Statistics 2007 Correctional Surveys, U.S. Department of Justice; correctional spending figures were collected from AR, AL, AK, CO, DE, GA, ID, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NY, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA and WY.

Correctional Population

Correctional Spending

8

Of Books and Bars

Change in state spending,1987-2008

SOURCE: National Association of State Budget Officers, “State Expenditure Report” series; inflation adjusted figures are based on a reanalysis of data in this series.

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Making Decisions Where To Spend

SOURCE: National Association of State Budget Officers, “State Expenditure Report” series, December 2009. Ratios are based on a reanalysis of FY2008 data in this series. NOTE: Wyoming’s figure is calculated based on FY2007 data.

Ratio of Corrections to Higher Education Spending(FY2008)

10SOURCE: Analysis of Uniform Crime Reports (FBI) and “Prisoners in the United States” series (Bureau of Justice Statistics).

Public Safety Payoff Varies Widely%

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2007

) % Change in Incarceration Rates (1997-2007)

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More Prison Spending ≠ Greater Public Safety

SOURCE: Analysis of FBI Uniform Crime Reports 2007 and “Prisoners in 2007,” Bureau of Justice Statistics.

12SOURCE: Pew Center on the States, “Right-Sizing Prisons” report

Right-Sizing Prisons:Business Leaders Make the Case

for Corrections Reform

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Reframing the Debate

Old Question“How Do We Demonstrate that We’re Tough on Crime?”

New Question“How Do We Get Taxpayers a Better Return on Their Investment in Public Safety?”

Public Safety, Public SpendingPast Trends and New Directions

Adam GelbPublic Safety Performance ProjectPew Center on the States

American Chamber of Commerce Executives February 17, 2010

Slide Number 1Slide Number 2Slide Number 3Slide Number 4Slide Number 5Slide Number 6Slide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Slide Number 10Slide Number 11More Prison Spending ≠ Greater Public SafetySlide Number 13Slide Number 14Slide Number 15