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The Science of Second Chances: A Revolution in Criminal Justice

byJennifer Doleac

Economist Jennifer Doleac evaluates the evidence behind programs intended to reduce crime, support people returning from incarceration, and make communities safer. She examines education, employment, treatment, supervision, policing, and reentry policies, distinguishing appealing stories from interventions that produce measurable results. The book explains how randomized trials and careful data analysis can reveal unintended consequences as well as genuine second chances. Doleac argues that criminal-justice reform should combine moral urgency with rigorous evaluation, so scarce resources expand opportunity instead of sustaining ineffective practices merely because they sound compassionate or tough.

Publisher

Henry Holt and Co.

Publication date

2026-02-24

Format

Hardcover

Pages

304

ISBN

9781250886286