Resources

To address challenges within traditional research designs for crime reduction and justice system improvement, this brief from WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center provides information about the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) method.

The brief shares a comprehensive overview of the RDD method that emphasizes its significance and efficacy in evaluating interventions in real-world scenarios. It advocates for increased RDD adoption, highlighting ethical advantages and the potential for more accurate and applicable research outcomes compared to other common evaluation approaches.

Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking ethical, practical, and data-driven approaches to intervention evaluation will also find practical guidance for employing RDD.

Read three study summaries that utilized the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) method.

• Study Summary #1: Examining Prison Effects on Recidivism
• Study Summary #2: Intensified Support for Juvenile Offenders on Probation: Evidence From Germany
• Study Summary #3: Under the Cover of Darkness: How Ambient Light Influences Criminal Activity