The Ministry of Justice has added four new Evidence Briefs to its collection of Evidence Briefs on the outcomes of justice interventions.
The four new Briefs bring the total to 35 Evidence Briefs. The new titles cover:
- Electronic Monitoring for Adult Offenders: The Brief says there is limited international evidence on electronic monitoring, but it suggests this approach can reduce reoffending for adult offenders.
- Employment Assistance: The Brief says there is some evidence that employment assistance - a combination of job search assistance, job placement, and vocational training - prevents crime.
- Early Childhood Education: The Brief says there is clear international evidence that high-quality early childhood education reduces the likelihood of future criminal behaviour and other negative social outcomes for disadvantaged children.
- Three Strikes Law: There is no substantial international or New Zealand evidence on the effect of three strikes laws on crime, the Brief says. The existing evidence is mixed and more robust research is needed to understand the true effects of these laws.
The Evidence Briefs are part of the ministry's What Works (to reduce crime) research. It says they are a "first-stop-shop" for decisions makers and policy developers looking to influence justice outcomes.
"They provide systematic reviews of justice related interventions summarising New Zealand and international research. They are a basis to make good decisions on where the government invests, what is effective; for whom; when; and why," it says.
"The Evidence Briefs rank interventions from strong, high quality evidence bases to evidence that is harmful, or that supports ending an intervention."