Cost-effectiveness of prison system development – comparison of the European countries

Abstract

The possibility to achieve successful resocialization of former prisoners back into society is an ongoing public debate, making it challenging for policymakers to implement prisoner rehabilitation programs capable of maintaining the public safety while allocating public funds in the most efficient way. The main aim of this thesis is to examine whether the investment in prison system development can be justified if such investment reduces crime and recidivism rates in the long term by ensuring proper rehabilitation of prisoners. Accordingly, this thesis compares various European countries regarding their imprisonment standards and costs in order to conclude which countries operate in the most effective way and what is crucial to obtain a decrease in the reoffending rates