Investing in youth, education, and community spaces is essential for both boosting the economy and making communities safer and more stable. Increasing educational attainment decreases the likelihood of future incarceration. Improving school quality reduces the probability of serious crimes and incarceration. And increasing investments in counselors, social-emotional learning, and wraparound services—while reducing the use of school police—will help end the school-to-prison pipeline while helping every child succeed. There are numerous studies exemplifying the variety of investments in youth, education, and community spaces that make communities safer spaces for everyone. 

Programs to support students’ social and emotional well-being have been found to reduce total arrests by as much as 35 percent, violent crime arrests by as much as 50 percent, and, for program youth in juvenile detention facilities, recidivism by 21 percent. A recent study looked at the effects of a change in Michigan law that increased spending on schools in low-income areas, focusing on students who experienced the increase in elementary school. The resulting decrease in adult crime rates was so large that the law ended up saving the state money overall.  Robust research shows that correctional education programs are one of our most effective ways to reduce recidivism and increase employment opportunities upon reentry.

Socioeconomic segregation of schools has been found to increase violent crime, suggesting that promoting more diverse and integrated schools could reduce violence. Youth-focused sports and therapy programming can reduce the likelihood of future arrests for a violent crime by 50 percent. High-quality afterschool programs have broadly positive impacts for children. By providing a safe space that promotes students’ health and development, these programs can reduce drug use and decrease arrests and other forms of criminal-legal involvement among children.

Programs focused on wraparound education services in high risk areas have been shown to reduce juvenile arrests as well as child abuse cases.  Research also shows that high school graduation rates are generally associated with positive public safety outcomes and lower crime rates for communities. Early childhood intervention programs, as well as nutrition programs for newborns, are likely to reduce crime.

In short, investing in the next generation is one of the most important ways that communities can promote safety, not just today, but for years to come.

Every year, over 650,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons and approximately two-thirds of those people are likely to be rearrested within three years of their release. Formerly incarcerated individuals are released into society with little to no income, with the expectation of expecting their future earnings to be reduced by up to 40%.

Investments in reentry programs improve the ability of formerly incarcerated individuals to reintegrate into society and improve public safety. A study found that individuals participating in reentry programs had a recidivism rate of 47% compared to that of 53% among individuals who did not participate in reentry programs. A study found that recently released individuals who received treatment from a social worker and attended a community employment program were 22% more likely to receive and report earnings at some point during their first year out of prison as compared to recently released individuals who did not receive social work services or attend the community employment program. This study also found that recently released individuals receiving social work services and attending the community employment program had higher median annual earnings than those not receiving the social work and community employment program services ($2,960 compared to $462). 

As this evidence shows, supporting individuals as they make the transition out of jails and prisons is one of the most important ways to ensure the stability of those individuals and their communities.