The impacts of length of prison stay on recidivism of non-violent offenders in Oregon

Abstract

Over the last five decades, US imprisonment growth has significantly strained state resources and extensively impacted communities. Due to increased costs and faced with the potential of opening a new correctional facility, Oregon passed its version of Justice Reinvestment (JRI) in 2013. It specifically targeted nonviolent crimes to reduce prison use, reduce recidivism, maintain public safety, and increase offender accountability. While Oregon and other states look to reduce prison use, including shortening sentences, there is concern that recidivism may rise. The current study assesses the impact of LOS on rearrest and reincarceration for nonviolent offenders in Oregon utilizing a quasi-experimental approach employing marginal means weighting through stratification. The results indicate that LOS has no meaningful impact on the recidivism rate in almost all cases and that sentences longer than 24 months are not likely warranted for nonviolent offenders. The results suggest that policymakers may consider shorter sentences without sacrificing public safety.