Correctional treatment as an economically sound approach to reducing the high costs of recidivism: A review of the research

Background

Prior research indicates that correctional treatment programmes can be highly effective in reducing reoffending. Less studied, however, is whether such programmes are economically efficient.

Aims

To review the research literature on the economic efficiency of correctional treatment programmes.

Methods

A review of cost–benefit analyses of correctional treatment programmes from 2004 to the present was carried out. To be included in the review, studies must have attempted to measure monetary costs and benefits of correctional treatment programmes and be based on experimental or quasi-experimental evaluations.

Results

A total of 22 cost–benefit studies of correctional treatment programmes met the criteria for inclusion in the review, 19 of which estimated (or allowed estimation of) benefit-to-cost ratios. All 19 studies yielded a favourable benefit-to-cost ratio.

Conclusions

Correctional treatment programmes appear to be economically efficient, with the monetary benefits produced by such programmes substantially exceeding their monetary costs. This finding appears to hold across a variety of different intervention types, and offers policy-makers and practitioners ample evidence in favour of providing additional resources for correctional treatment programmes.