Increasing Incarceration No Longer Reducing Crime
We have 25% of the world’s prisoners (but only 5% of the world’s population). How has that affected our crime rates? Very very little.
Crime rates dropped as incarceration rates rose, for a time, but incarceration’s effect on crime weakened as more people were imprisoned. An increase in incarceration was responsible for something like 5 percent of the decrease in crime in the 1990s, when its levels were lower, but has played no meaningful role since. If I were speaking to a fellow economist, I’d say the incarceration elasticity of crime is not distinguishable from zero. At a cocktail party, I’d say that crime no longer responds to changes in incarceration.Nationwide, incarceration has been relatively flat in recent history. Since 2000, the imprisonment rate, while high, is up just 1 percent. However, individual states have had widely varying experiences. And there we found anecdotal evidence of diminishing incarceration returns in the states as well.
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Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Stuart Shapiro
Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.
19 responses to Increasing Incarceration No Longer Reducing Crime
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Red Eye Robot February 13th, 2015 at 07:41
These farcical claims you guys come up with. A criminal in prison can’t possibly prey on the citizens. Criminals on the street commit crime.
Hirightnow February 13th, 2015 at 07:51
Now tell us about the death penalty.
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 07:55
I’d assume he thinks it would at least reduce the prison population.
Mike February 13th, 2015 at 11:19
You’re supposed to read the article, then make a stupid comment…you just made a stupid comment that proved you didn’t read the article.
Candide Thirtythree February 14th, 2015 at 03:27
Even 4th graders can read graphs so why can’t you?
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 07:54
’cause he’s a dim wit who enjoys (wh?) exposing his mindlessness by writing.
Candide Thirtythree February 14th, 2015 at 20:01
Thank you!
bpollen February 14th, 2015 at 04:58
My ass… http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/magazine/17-06/ff_prisonphones?currentPage=all
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 07:53
criminals in your congress and x presidents and vice presidents are your worst criminals and they have BBQs in texass. You know so much about crime in prisons how?
Red Eye Robot February 13th, 2015 at 08:41
These farcical claims you guys come up with. A criminal in prison can’t possibly prey on the citizens. Criminals on the street commit crime.
Hirightnow February 13th, 2015 at 08:51
Now tell us about the death penalty.
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 08:55
I’d assume he thinks it would at least reduce the prison population.
Mike February 13th, 2015 at 12:19
You’re supposed to read the article, then make a stupid comment…you just made a stupid comment that proved you didn’t read the article.
Candide Thirtythree February 14th, 2015 at 04:27
Even 4th graders can read graphs so why can’t you?
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 08:54
’cause he’s a dim wit who enjoys (wh?) exposing his mindlessness by writing.
Candide Thirtythree February 14th, 2015 at 21:01
Thank you!
bpollen February 14th, 2015 at 05:58
My ass… http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/magazine/17-06/ff_prisonphones?currentPage=all
fahvel February 14th, 2015 at 08:53
criminals in your congress and x presidents and vice presidents are your worst criminals and they have BBQs in texass. You know so much about crime in prisons how?
illinoisboy1977 February 26th, 2015 at 11:46
Reduce paroles and early releases. Don’t take off time for good behavior. Add time for bad behavior.