Prison Doesn't Work the Way You Think
From The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie by The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
April 22, 2026 · 1h 8m
About this episode
Economist Jennifer Doleac discusses the ineffectiveness of long prison sentences on crime reduction and the benefits of leniency for first-time defendants.
Economist Jennifer Doleac discusses why long sentences don’t reduce crime, how first-time defendants benefit from leniency, and why clearance rates are key to crime reduction.
People in this episode
Guest: Jennifer Doleac
Topics covered
- criminal justice
- economics
- crime reduction
- sentencing
- leniency
Keywords
- prison
- crime
- sentencing
- economist
- leniency
- clearance rates
- crime reduction
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