Drug courts work, but do they save money?

A new study published in the fall issue of the Journal of Criminal Justice looks at the effect of drug courts on confinement and finds that they reduce the incidence of jail stays by nearly half, and prison stays by more than one-third. Interestingly, however, drug courts did not reduce days spent in prison in

More evidence that prison education provides return on investment

Two new studies find positive effects from prison education. The first, a study of over 5,000 Florida inmates published in the October issue of the journal Crime & Delinquency, examined the impact of adult basic education (ABE) on post-release labor market success. The authors find that ABE participation is associated with higher levels of employment

MassINC to honor Gateway City Innovators

Champions of Transformative Redevelopment to receive awards at first annual Gateway Cities luncheon MassINC, together with leaders from the 26 Gateway Cities, will celebrate the innovative spirit of Massachusetts’ historic Gateway Cities by honoring five individuals and two organizations that have had a transformative impact on their communities. The awards will be presented at the

Gateway Cities Innovation Institute Director Benjamin Forman gives support for Transformative Redevelopment Legislation in Gateway Cities at Springfield hearing

Transcript of Remarks: Thank you Chairman Wagner and Chairwoman Candaras for this opportunity to share our ideas for strengthening the Commonwealth’s economy. From our founding in 1996, MassINC’s mission has been supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s middle class. With a focus primarily on state level policy, we have learned that we can

Gateway City leaders rally behind precedent-setting bill to encourage “transformative” development

New legislation supports projects that spur additional private investment in weak markets A new bill supporting high impact development projects in Gateway Cities – where the market gap between development costs and returns continues to deter investors– was heard September 10 in Springfield. Gateway City mayors from across the state and a host of community

CommonWealth editor Bruce Mohl moderates issues forum with candidates for mayor of Lawrence

Lawrence mayoral candidates Marcos Devers, Juan “Manny” Gonzalez, James Patrick O’Donoghue, and Daniel Rivera participated in an issues forum/debate Monday night hosted by Commonwealth Magazine, The Eagle-Tribune, and Rumbo Newspaper. The debate was moderated by Bruce Mohl, editor of Commonwealth Magazine. Gabrielle Gurley, Senior Associate Editor of Commonwealth Magazine, Keith Eddings, reporter at The Eagle-Tribune,

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