Webprograms addressing violence issues, education and employment exhibit strong effects. Those focusing on addiction and other program types are not found to. Webhowever, now more than ever, with some of the highest incarceration rates in the world and a recidivism rate of about 44%, federal policies surrounding prisoner. Websince the passage of the second chance act in 2008, more and more state and local leaders have made recidivism reduction a public safety priority, pursuing a variety of. Webthe american people may have an overall negative opinion on prison rehabilitation and treatment programs, but it is essential to demonstrate how. Webin this study, we compare the recidivism outcomes of felons sentenced to prison versus those sentenced to jail, jail plus probation, and probation alone. Webour heterogeneity analysis shows that programs that focus on violent behavior, education deficiencies or employment unreadiness all significantly decrease. Webunderfunded prison programs exist to mediate the state’s culpability for high recidivism rates by providing the illusion that the pri is dedicated to rehabilitation.