Evidence-Based Crime Prevention

Abstract

Crime prevention should be rational and based on the best possible evidence. One would expect that decision-makers would take careful account of any available evidence on what works. How can a program that has produced no discernable evidence of effectiveness, as shown through numerous evaluations, be considered for implementation? Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Consider the short-lived revival of the prison deterrence program known as Scared Straight despite past evaluations that showed that it had failed to deter juvenile delinquents from future criminal activity (Finckenauer and Gavin, 1999; Petrosino et al., 2000).