Virginia has abolished parole and adopted truth-in-sentencing guidelines for persons convicted of felonies. As part of this reform, the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission developed a method for diverting 25% of nonviolent, prison-bound offenders into alternative sanction programs using risk assessment to identify the lowest risk offenders. This article describes an evaluation of the effectiveness of this instrument, used by judges at the time of sentencing. It serves to advance an understanding of the factors associated with recidivism and the policy implications of using risk assessment to divert offenders from incarceration at a time when states are facing fiscal challenges.

Delay in the processing of criminal cases has long been viewed as a serious national problem. Substantial differences exist among courts in the average time it takes to resolve both felony and misdemeanor cases, with past research producing inconclusive results on the causes of observed variation. In response, and with the support of the Arnold Foundation, the objective of this article is to highlight predictable variation in the timeliness of criminal case processing and how this knowledge supports court efforts to become more expeditious. Drawing on an extensive set of felony and misdemeanor cases resolved in seven Colorado courts, statistical analysis uncovers important patterns in the composition of criminal caseloads and clarifies how composition influences case duration. Moreover, similarities in the makeup of criminal caseloads show the utility of fundamental principles of criminal caseflow management and how courts benefit from being assessed comparatively against established performance benchmarks.

Substance use disorders are common among justice-involved populations, the majority of whom are under community supervision in the form of probation. Substance involvement can amplify the challenges of complying with requirements of probation supervision, violations of which can lead to incarceration. In this study, we assess the role of substance involvement in violations of probation conditions across 47 counties representing 70% of individuals sentenced to probation in the state of Pennsylvania. We also consider the role of court-ordered treatment. We conclude by estimating the consequences of resentencing for substance-involved individuals in Pennsylvania (in incarceration and supervision days). Results suggest that individuals who are substance-involved are at greater risk of technical violations. However, treatment may reduce some negative outcomes for substance-involved individuals. Court-ordered treatment was associated with a reduction in the likelihood of being resentenced for a new offense relative to individuals who were substance-involved but not ordered to treatment.

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