Tagged: NASEM

Recidivism and measuring success after prison

by · May 18, 2022 12:33 pm

In the United States, recidivism rates are the primary measure to evaluate the success of correctional and re-entry programs. Recidivism estimates can be controversial though, particularly given limitations of currently available data. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) highlights some of these challenges. A more controversial part of the report argues that the effectiveness of correctional and re-entry programs can be better understood by looking at things like education and employment outcomes rather than focusing on recidivism specifically. Unfortunately, focusing solely on the latter does not tell the whole story, and does not accurately reflect whether a particular program is successful or not.

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Policing to protect the population

by · Mar 7, 2022 2:27 pm

Law enforcement training often does not rely on the best scientific evidence, and there is much disagreement about what the best strategies and tactics are. In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) convened a working group to assess the scientific evidence on police training. The main questions the committee sought to answer were: 1) What are the core knowledge and skills needed for police to promote the rule of law and protect the population?; and 2) What is known about mechanisms (e.g., basic and continuing education or other capacity building programs) for developing these core skills? The answers to these questions were recently published and are discussed below. 

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