A Retrospective Review of the Pennsylvania Justice Reinvestment Initiative

Justice reinvestment and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) have been a focal point for criminal justice reform advocates since the enactment of federal legislation in 2010. With 40 states having implemented a JRI reinvestment policy or practice to date, the goal of many reinvestment strategi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wentling, Richard (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: The prison journal
Year: 2025, Volume: 105, Issue: 3, Pages: 375-394
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
state correctional budgets
Community supervision
prison policy
justice reinvestment initiative
Description
Summary:Justice reinvestment and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) have been a focal point for criminal justice reform advocates since the enactment of federal legislation in 2010. With 40 states having implemented a JRI reinvestment policy or practice to date, the goal of many reinvestment strategies hinges on reducing prison populations. Pennsylvania was therefore uniquely situated for applying a reinvestment initiative as a state that was incarcerating more individuals per capita in the Northeast compared to neighboring states. This article reviews JRI's overall framework and intended evidence-based interventions utilizing a case study of Pennsylvania initiatives to assess the degree to which JRI strategies affected reform through 2023. Policy recommendations are offered based on the JRI application in Pennsylvania.
ISSN:1552-7522
DOI:10.1177/00328855251328873