Prison rehabilitation programs and recidivism: evidence from variations in availability
Melbourne Institute Working Paper No. 07/23
Date: May 2023
Author(s):
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that incarceration can improve the social reintegration of inmates in some circumstances. Yet, the mechanisms through which incarceration may favor rehabilitation remain largely unknown. This paper exploits variations in program availability in Quebec (Canada) to estimate their effects on recidivism. We find that reintegration programs can substantially decrease the probability of future incarceration. However, this is mitigated by an increase in the probability of future community sentences, though these are associated with less serious offenses. Programs addressing self-development, violent behavior, or education and employment deficiencies exhibit strong effects. Conversely, those focusing on addiction issues and other program types are not found to affect recidivism. These results suggest that specific rehabilitation programs can explain the beneficial effects of incarceration found in the literature.