“Philadelphia’s Shifting Juvenile Justice Paradigm: An Economic Analysis” is a report written in partnership with Independent Variable and Econsult Solutions, Inc., examining the economics of the youth justice system in Philadelphia and making a series of recommendations for evidence-informed, fiscally driven policy reforms.
Our Partnership with the Philidelphia District Attorney’s Office and econsult solutions
The juvenile justice economic report was generated using data from Independent Variable software products and through our thought partnership with both Econsult Solutions, Inc. and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
This report offers a comprehensive socioeconomic analysis of Philadelphia’s juvenile court system, assessing the changing costs of system involvement and the opportunities for optimizing public resources to better meet the needs of youth in the system.
Evidence-informed, fiscally driven policy reforms powered by independent variable data
The analysis highlights how declines in residential placement for justice-involved youth have led to substantial declines in aggregate spending, while per-youth spending has actually increased due to an overuse of secure detention and inadequate reinvestment into supportive, community-based supports. The findings underscore the importance of increased transparency into juvenile justice budget processes, and a shift towards data-informed strategies to maximize the impact of taxpayer funds in reducing youth recidivism and increasing positive long-term impacts.
Keep reading to see an executive summary of our findings, the full technical report, and a link to the official press release from the District Attorney’s Office of Philadelphia.
