The reason that prisons are so full has to do with minimum sentences, which were enacted around the country in the 1990s. With three-strikes laws, people were automatically incarcerated – even if they were not convicted of violent offenses. One way to reduce public safety spending is to reduce these mandated laws. Even though the sentences are harsher than they were prior to three-strikes laws being enacted, crime rates have not fallen.
What does work to reduce crime rates
After a thorough review of literature about crime rates, policing, and public safety, there are clear areas of success. Those areas do not involve adding elaborate screening programs and more technology for police officers. Another area that did not help reduce crime rates was officer pay – no correlation was found between these two statistics.
To decrease crime rates, community members need to be involved in public safety initiatives. A BID of $10,000 results in about $200,000 in savings by reducing crime rates. Decentralizing public safety is another way to reduce crime because those who work at the local level know more about the neighborhoods and the people who live in them. Therefore, public safety initiatives are more efficient and effective.
