Progressively Tougher Sanctioning and Recidivism

Abstract

Objectives: The study tests two related hypotheses about recidivist sentencing premiums and the progressive sanctioning logic on which they rest: (1) among first-time felons, punitive sanctions will more effectively reduce recidivism than will less severe sanctions and (2) among second-time felons, progressively tougher sanctions will more effectively reduce recidivism than will progressions to comparable or less severe sanctions. Method: We use data on first-time and second-time felons and propensity score matching analyses to test these two hypotheses. Results: Although tougher punishment, and increasingly tougher punishment among second-time offenders, may sometimes reduce recidivism, less severe punishment appears on average to be more effective. Conclusions: The results raise questions about the effects of both tougher, and progressively tougher, types of sanctions in efforts to reduce recidivism.

Do Sanctions Affect Undetected Sexual Offending?

“…The current study tests whether prior sanctions for sexual offenses increase detection rates of subsequent offenses, and thereby suppresses the subsequent number of undetected sexual assault victims. Formal sanctions by the justice system are intended to deter further criminal behavior (Mears & Cochran, 2018), but research on the effectiveness of sanctions to achieve this goal has been mixed (Villettaz et al, 2015). There are few studies examining the effectiveness of sanctions in reducing future sexual offenses.…”

Race and Ethnicity Effects in School Discipline: A Coarsened Exact Matching Analysis

“…5 However, because it is unclear how to generalize these weights in the presence of multiple treatment groups, three-way comparisons among Black, Hispanic, and White youth are rendered unfeasible. Thus, following the recommendation of Blackwell et al (2009) as well as prior research using matching methods with multichotomous treatments (e.g., Bales & Piquero, 2012; Franklin, 2015; Mears & Cochran, 2018), separate CEM procedures are executed on each pair of treatment levels, with the first comparison restricted to Black and White youth and the second restricted to Hispanic and White participants.…”

Justiça restaurativa em prisões

“…Sentenças de prisão mais "duras" não são mais efetivas do que sentenças mais "leves". Sobre tal fato, o estudo de Mears & Cochran (2017) demonstrou que, pelo contrário, sentenças menos rigorosas estão correlacionadas a menores probabilidades de reincidência, inclusive para condenados já reincidentes. Penas de prisão enfraquecem os vínculos sociais, aumentam as chances de associação criminal e produzem estigma social (CLEAR & FROST, 2014;KELLY, 2015;LISTWAN et al, 2013;NAGIN et al 2009).…”