Inaugural Seminar

“What Works in Reducing Crime? A Family Perspective for State Policymaking.”

Thursday, February 23rd, Sangamo Club

The seminar addressed a pressing policy issue facing families in Illinois. As in other states, Illinois' prison population grew substantially in the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, Illinois spends over $1 billion annually on corrections. The prison population also turns over rapidly, with over 40,000 prisoners expected to be released this year in Illinois. Of particular concern is the concentration of these previously incarcerated persons in a small number of communities and the fact that many will return to prison within a few years. The seminar was designed to present policymakers with research-based options for addressing these issues. The speakers summarized the cost-effectiveness of various crime-reduction strategies, discussed the impact of incarceration on families and the benefits of family-focused crime-reduction approaches, and presented innovative state policy options.

Speakers:

Steve Aos, Acting Director, Washington State Institute for Public Policy
The Institute that Mr. Aos directs was created by the Washington Legislature to carry out practical, non-partisan research at legislative direction. An economist, Mr. Aos is nationally-recognized for compiling rigorous cost-benefit analyses of several hundred crime reduction programs. His current work identifies cost-beneficial alternatives to future prison construction, including sentencing options, prevention programs, and offender intervention programs.

Powerpoint presentation for Mr. Aos (PPT) 427k
Using Taxpayer Dollars Wisely: What Works and What Does Not to Reduce Recidivism Rates(PDF) 134k
Evidence-Based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not (PDF) 243k
Biography for Mr. Aos (PDF) 92k

Patrick Tolan, Director, Institute for Juvenile Research, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
Family-Focused Prevention of Delinquency and Crime
Dr. Tolan is an internationally recognized authority on violence, adolescence, families, and prevention. He will summarize the strong scientific support for the impact and cost effectiveness of family-focused programs to prevent delinquency.

Dr. Tolan's Powerpoint presentation (PPT) 434k
Biography for Dr. Tolan(PDF) 94k

Susan George, Senior Researcher, Chapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago
Impact of Mothers' Incarceration: Findings for Illinois
A clinical psychologist and policy analyst, Dr. George discussed her collaborative research with economist Robert LaLonde of the University of Chicago. Using administrative data from Illinois, Drs. George and LaLonde are studying incarcerated single mothers - the fastest growing segment of the prison population - to understand the long-term effects of imprisonment on their ability to function as parents and the consequences for their children.

Powerpoint presentation by Dr. George (PPT) 147k
Biography for Dr. George (PDF) 92k

The Honorable Mike Lawlor, Connecticut House of Representatives
Legislative Policy Ideas: Justice Reinvestment in Connecticut and Other States
In his eighth term, Representative Lawlor is the Chairman of the Connecticut House Judiciary Committee and a past chair of the Council of State Government's Criminal Justice Board. Among his legislative initiatives are successful “justice reinvestment” laws that curb corrections growth and reinvest savings in community-based programs.