In recent years, progressive prosecutors have been elected in various jurisdictions across the United States, with the goal of reducing incarceration rates and addressing mass incarceration concerns. These prosecutors have faced criticism for their “soft on crime” policies, with some citizens and politicians blaming them for rising crime rates.
Relationship Between Crime Rates and Progressive Prosecution Policies
A recent study published in Criminology & Public Policy provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between crime rates and progressive prosecution policies by investigating crime rates at the county level. The study found that jurisdictions that changed to progressive prosecutors had 7% higher relative rates of total crime, driven primarily by 6.7% higher relative rates of property crime. These effects were strongest from 2013 to 2020. However, violent crime rates were not statistically higher in jurisdictions that switched to progressive prosecutors.