By Grant Duwe

Key Points

• Programming dosage should be calibrated to risk, with higher-risk prisoners receiving longer, more intensive interventions.

• As program participation increases, recidivism generally decreases. Recidivism outcomes are significantly better when prisoners participate in multiple interventions or spend much of their imprisonment in programming.

• Back-loading programming closer to release from prison has been associated with better recidivism outcomes.

• Program sequencing may be effective for those who participate in multiple interventions.

Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute, 2019. 6p.