The Hidden Costs of Pretrial Detention Revisited

By Christopher Lowenkamp

Using data from over 1 million people booked into a jail in Kentucky between 2009 and 2018, this study investigates the relationship between pretrial detention and failure to appear, rearrest, and sentencing outcomes. The author’s analysis indicates that there is no deterrent effect of pretrial detention, as incarcerating people prior to their trial does not result in better pretrial outcomes in terms of failure to appear or rearrest. The author also concludes that the costs of pretrial detention do not translate to increased public safety.

Kentucky. Arnold Ventures. March 2022. 8p.