Project Return

A. Accomplishments To Date

A recently completed evaluation, conducted by the New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission (MCC), has shown that Project Return has consistently reduced violence and lowered recidivism rates for men and women released from prison and residing in New Orleans. The resulting benefits to taxpayers and crime victims include improved public safety and significantly lower costs.

The MCC evaluation examined the first four-years of operation and documented:

That during the first year of release from prison the program intervention maintains a 89.3% success rate, with only one in every ten graduates of the program returning to crime;
In year one, the recidivism rate for a control group was (37.2%) over three times that of the program graduates (10.7%);
During the second year of release 75.6 % of the program graduates were still in the community and had not returned to crime.
In year two, the failure rate for the control group (51%) was double that of the program graduates (24.4%); and,
Further analysis of the data showed that when graduates of Project Return recidivate, it is for less violent offenses; while 40% of Project Return participants were convicted of violent offenses, only 6% of the graduates that recidivate are convicted of violent offenses.

The MCC report concluded that Project Return is an effective ex-offender re-integration program. The services provided to program participants enable them to make a more successful transition from prison to the community compared with similar ex-offenders who do not participate in or complete the program. Project Return also appears successful in reducing recidivism rates when compared with other programs for ex-offenders nation-wide. As noted, the recidivism rates in those studies reviewed ranged from 24 percent to 48 percent one year after release compared with 10.7% for Project Return.

Cost/Comparative-Cost/Cost-Benefit Analysis

The following cost analyses are based upon a comparison of the rate of recidivism for 1800 men and women that have participated in Project Return (25%), with the average recidivism rate for all ex-offenders released from Louisiana prisons (75%). In addition, four types of related costs are included in this analysis: Criminal Justice System (CJS) Costs; Costs to Victims of Crime (Victim Costs); Project Return Costs (Project Costs); and, the Costs of Re-Incarceration.

CJS Costs

An average cost of $100,000 per individual is estimated to be the cost of pursuit, arrest, arraignment, detainment, trial and incarceration.

Victim Costs

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that, on average, a criminal offender will cost crime victims $100,000 per year during the period following release from prison and prior to being re-incarcerated, and that each recidivist will perpetrate these damages for an average of four years before getting caught.

Project Cost

The per-participant cost for Project Return - $5,000

The Metropolitan Crime Commission evaluation confirms that the 1800 Project Return participants are similar to the average persons released from Louisiana`s prisons, and therefore, including a comparison of the following costs is appropriate:

Project Return Recidivism Costs (1,800 Participants)

Project Return had 25% (450) of its participants return to prison after Project Costs of:

$2,250,000

Thus, 450 or 25% of all Project Return participants, returned to prison at a cost of:

Thus, 1350 or 68% of the prisoners studied, were returned to prison at a cost of:

The estimated cost to Louisiana taxpayers for the rate of recidivism associated with Project Return participants is estimated at $92,250,000. Comparing these costs with the estimated costs associated with the rate of recidivism for the same number of men and women released from prison without Project Return, $245,000,000, indicates, over a five-year period, a savings of approximately $153,000,000. Adding the $31,000,000 in cost of incarceration savings and subtracting $5,000,000 in operating costs, shows that Project Return saved taxpayers $179,000,000 over a five year period, a $36,000,000 per year return on an annual investment of $1,000,000.

During this same period, it cost taxpayers $179,000,000 to not have Project Return available to the 1800 men and women who left prison and were subsequently included in the Metropolitan Crime Commission evaluation as a comparison group.

All components of Project Return, with the exception of Community Building, are easily replicable. The educational software can be purchased from its manufacturer. The drug/addictions testing materials, educational testing materials, and the psychological testing materials can all be purchased, applied and scored with a minimum of training and effort.

The Community Building component, which enhances the success of all other aspects of the program, requires that at least two facilitators be trained in leading the workshop that initiates each new class. Prior training in group process and/or group therapy is usually a plus but not a requirement for this training. The facilitators at Project Return will offer the training or recommend another source for it. Plans for replication in other cities are under consideration by officials from BJA.

Results & Impacts