Recidivism Prevention Cost Comparison

Incarceration costs taxpayers an average of $38,000–$60,000 per person per year. This tool helps you calculate the societal savings from investing in reentry and prevention programs versus the cost of reincarceration — the economic argument that resonates with government funders.

Program Participants

Program Cost per Person ($)

Baseline (without program)

Baseline Recidivism Rate (%)

Avg Incarceration Cost/yr ($)

With Program

Program Recidivism Rate (%)

Avg Sentence Length (years)

Without Program

—

Total Incarceration Cost

With Program

—

Program + Incarceration

—

Net Taxpayer Savings