Blog
Why don’t governments implement evidence-based best practices?
In 1975, Robert Martinson famously wrote that “nothing works” in treating convicted criminals and thus he concluded that rehabilitation in any form was not cost-effective. As discouraging as the criminal justice research was at the time, it was no more pessimistic than education, or public health, or child welfare research.
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Nine reasons why government doesn’t work
State, county, and municipal governments are mainly in the business of buying services for their constituents, paying providers to tackle a broad spectrum of social problems: health, education, employment, and justice, among others. But these governments face significant barriers to reducing costs and delivering high-quality services.Governments:
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Social impact bonds: A new model to reduce blight
Cities are actively searching for ways to reduce blight.Abandoned properties and vacant lots abound in decaying Rust Belt neighborhoods struggling with manufacturing losses and entrenched segregation. The problem is no less serious in the Sun Belt, where overzealous developers left neighborhoods half-built and overconfident consumers now face waves of foreclosures.
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Private financing of public anti-crime efforts
Over the last three years, an innovative idea has gained some steam in policy circles. Social impact bonds take private capital and inject it into traditionally public sector activities leading to more cost-effective practices. Private investors put up capital to fund interventions that are too big or too risky for the public sector. Performance targets are established and if the private sector delivers, investors are rewarded with profits.