According to a recent
report by PEW Charitable Trusts, Fresno, Kern, Santa Barbara
and Santa Cruz counties are setting a precedent by successfully
establishing evidence-based criminal justice programs since
California’s public safety realignment strategy was launched in
October 2011.
In partnership with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative,
these four counties used a cost-benefit analysis to evaluate
their currently funded programs. Counties were able to make a
data-driven decision in selecting programs to better meet their
county’s needs. The Results First partnership assists counties in
prioritizing cost-effective, evidence-based programs, and
developing new programs that are effective and efficient.
This report documents the progress of these four counties, which
are on the cutting edge of a nationwide movement to make
data-driven decisions. Over the past two years, each county has
made advancements in addressing the challenges posed by
Realignment by using the Results First approach to:
Direct resources toward cost-effective programs shown to
work.
Inform the planning and development of new programs.
Restructure contracting and grant processes to prioritize
evidence-based programs.
Ensure that programs are delivered with fidelity to practices
most likely to produce results.
Specific examples include, Santa Barbara County identified
expendable rehabilitation and reentry programs that weren’t
working nor saving the county money against the costs of
incarceration. One of the programs the county chose to redirect
funding and is expected to save $19.49 for every dollar spent; is
an evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy program. Santa
Cruz County is moving funding from its legacy programs to a
cognitive behavioral therapy program that is predicted to save
$418,950 and reduce recidivism by 13.4%. Kern County plans to use
evidence-based information from Results First to help shape and
make the right adjustments to services they offer to create a
continuum of care for their population. Fresno is in the
beginning stages of evaluating their program inventory and
compiling their cost-benefit analysis model.
The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative strives to assist
entities in making prudential decisions in the criminal justice
system. The initiative focuses on providing tools for counties to
establish evidenced-based programs that will have a positive
return investment. CSAC and the Pew-MacArthur Results First
Initiative will continue to work with the four counties through
technical support and is looking forward to expanding into other
counties in the future.
