Problem
Study Aim:
Evaluate the impact of Washington State’s Swift and Certain (SAC) sanctions policy on offenders under community supervision. The SAC program emphasized deterrence through immediate and proportionate sanctions for supervision violations.
Impact on System/Public:
Community corrections systems face increased pressure due to decarceration and reduced budgets. Traditional sanctioning methods often lead to inconsistent outcomes and significant societal costs, including high recidivism and prolonged incarceration. SAC aimed to address these inefficiencies while maintaining public safety.
Research Questions:
- Does SAC reduce confinement days for violations?
- Does SAC impact recidivism rates and severity?
- Does SAC improve program engagement and treatment utilization?
- Does SAC reduce violations and associated correctional costs?
Method and Analysis
Program Evaluated or Gaps Addressed:
The SAC policy implemented short, immediate confinement for low-level violations and mandatory arrests for high-level violations. This aimed to establish consistent, deterrence-based sanctioning aligned with the principles of certainty, swiftness, and proportionality.
Data and Sample Size:
Data included:
The study used a quasi-experimental design with 4,838 participants. Two SAC cohorts (post-implementation) were compared with a historical group (pre-implementation). Participants were offenders under Washington’s community supervision.
Analysis Used:
Propensity score matching (PSM) addressed group selection bias. Statistical tests (e.g., logistic regression and Mann-Whitney U) assessed outcomes like confinement days, violation rates, program participation, and costs.
Outcome
Key Findings:
- Reduction in Confinement: SAC participants experienced 20% fewer confinement incidents, with significantly reduced incarceration durations (16 days fewer, on average).
- Recidivism: SAC reduced the likelihood of reconvictions, particularly violent felonies, demonstrating a deterrent effect without compromising public safety.
- Program Utilization: SAC improved access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and chemical dependency (CD) programs, increasing hours of participation.
- Behavioral Compliance: SAC reduced high-level violations and deterred absconding over time, supporting its deterrence framework.
- Cost Savings: SAC decreased correctional costs by reducing confinement durations and promoting program engagement, contributing to justice reinvestment.
Implications or Recommendations:
- SAC demonstrates that deterrence-based, evidence-driven community corrections policies can effectively reduce incarceration reliance and recidivism.
- Policymakers should prioritize consistency, proportionality, and evidence-based interventions in sanctioning practices.
- Expanding SAC to other jurisdictions requires careful training and adherence to deterrence principles to replicate its success.
This summary highlights SAC’s promising role in addressing systemic challenges in community corrections while achieving cost savings and improved public safety.