RJC Impact ROI
This interactive model is a tool designed to perform a return on investment (ROI) cost-benefit analysis of the financial and social impacts of Restorative Justice Conferencing (RJC) Programs compared to Criminal Justice System (CJS) processes.
Data for this model was gathered through published research, interviews with restorative justice conferencing coordinators, and interviews with staff of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.
RJC program costs can vary slightly depending on levels of supportive casework, but costs were generally consistent across programs. CJS process costs can vary dramatically depending on the processes used (i.e. courtroom involvement, incarceration, etc.)
To reflect potential differences in CJS process costs, this model allows users to create three different scenarios (low, medium, and high cost) for calculating ROI outputs that reflect the diversity in CJS (and other) costs.
How this model works
1. This interactive model calculates Impact Return on Investment (IROI) through a cost-benefit-type analysis that compares Criminal Justice System (CJS) Programs with Restorative Justice Conferencing (RJC) Programs. The current data refers to cost and benefit values associated with reasonable estimates for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Local values can be substituted to provide more accuracy for other jurisdictions. Current values were obtained from research and interviews; when a range was of values was reasonable, conservative values were selected to minimize any unintentional inflation of ROI values.
2. Users can adjust values for local accuracy on three sheets: CJS Program Costs, RJC Program Costs, and HP, RP, Community Inputs. Data on the calculations and IROI sheets will automatically update. PLEASE do not change data on any sheets except the CJS Program Costes, RJC Program Costs, and HP, RP, Community Inputs sheets.
3. Sheets are sequenced in the order in which values feed into the next step. Final values from CJS Program Costs are used in calculating additive RJC Program Costs. These program costs are linked into the "HP, RP, Community Inputs" sheet. All other data in "HP, RP, Community Inputs" was determined through research and interviews (sources provided). The "HP, RP, Community Inputs" sheet provides data for the avoided costs and benefits "calculations" sheet. These values are used in final IROI calculations provided on the "IROI" sheet.
4. In this model, "HP" refers to harmed parties and "RP" refers to a responsible party. Calculations are based on a PER CASE basis, in which "one case" is one responsible party who is eligible for referral to a RJC program (charged with an RJC eligible offense, acknowledges responsibility, and willing to participate in facilitated accountability practices). One case may have more than one harmed party. The number of harmed parties per case can be adjusted on the "Values and Sources" sheet under "Harmed Party Impacts."
All the costs and benefits reported here have a numerical value associated with them, but it is important to remember that some of the most meaningfrul costs and benefits are qualitative. For example, participants in RJC report feeling more human, heard and valued. For a more detailed analysis and many more stories, see Sered, 2019, Until We Reckon, the New Press.
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