Shorter Sentences, Safer Streets? Evidence from South Carolina’s 2010 Prison Reform

In 2010, South Carolina passed prison reform that limited incarceration and reduced sentences for low-level offenders. Economist Analisa Packham will investigate the reform’s impact on crime and outcomes for the formerly incarcerated, including as sentence length, recidivism rates, health, and wage outcomes. She will analyze data from the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Department of Revenue, and the National Incident-Based Reporting System for her study.