The science of second chances : a revolution in criminal justice / Jennifer Doleac.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Doleac, Jennifer, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Criminal justice, Administration of--United States.

Criminal justice, Administration of.

Criminology--United States.

Criminology.

Opportunity.

Recidivism--United States.

Recidivism.

Crime prevention--United States.

Crime prevention.

Criminals--Rehabilitation--United States.

Criminals.

Prison reform--United States.

Prison reform.

Imprisonment.

United States.

Genre:

Informational works.

Physical Description:

xvi, 283 pages ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2026

Summary:

"When criminal justice expert Jennifer Doleac thinks about reform, she's not just hopeful, she's optimistic that second chances are possible--for the justice-involved population and the system as a whole. In The Science of Second Chances, she reveals her powerful approach to reducing crime and incarceration. Drawing on cutting-edge economic research and real-world experiments, the book presents a blueprint for reform that runs all the way through the system. Doleac shows how economists like herself approach big, complicated problems as if they were scientists in a lab, carefully testing different approaches and following the data to maximize impact. She explains how shifting the incentives people face can produce dramatic changes in the decisions they make, significantly reducing the number of people cycling through the prison system. From DNA databases that increase the likelihood of catching reoffenders to leniency programs for first-time defendants, she reveals a series of surprising interventions that actually work, along with cautionary tales about great ideas that never panned out."-- Amazon.

Contents:

Part I: Second chances for individuals. Small changes, big opportunities

Err toward leniency

Setting people up for success

Prison as a place for change

Back to work

Support with humility

Part II: Second chances for families and communities. Breaking the cycle in early childhood

Prevention for teens and young adults.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 245-267) and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Doleac, Jennifer. Science of second chances.

ISBN:

9781250886286

1250886287

OCLC:

1513884713