EVIDENCE-BASED CRIME POLICIES: BETTER SOLUTIONS FOR CRIME

Abstract

The criminal justice policy process is under scrutiny from academicians who relay a notable absence of reliable empirical evidence to produce policy solutions that objectively allocate scare resources. Scholars have argued that the lack of an evidence-based approach has allowed the implementation and continued retention of unproven policies and program. In lieu of the unrealistic leap from status quo to informatics and empirical research, the paper promotes the long-term goal of intensive agency collaboration, systemic review, cost-benefit analysis, crime trend analysis, and informatics standards to increase the capacity of criminal justice policy to reduce crime in the most cost-effective manner.