Truman School of Government and Public Affairs

The Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC) was awarded the Second Chance Act Pay for Success Grant by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in March of 2020. This grant provides funds for one or more outcomes-based contracts (OBC) to ensure accountability and improve performance regarding recidivism reduction. OBCs are structured such that payments are tied directly to certain outcome metrics being achieved by a service provider. DOC partnered with Social Finance, a nonprofit consultancy organization, to assist with the development of an outcomes-based contract with a service provider. DOC has also contracted with IPP to help consult, research, and aid in the development of an outcomes-based contract that targets high risk probationers and parolees in the Eastern region of Missouri. IPP, along with DOC and Social Finance, is working to create an outcomes-based contract that addresses reentry concerns of DOC and BJA and has sound and robust evaluation metrics tied to desired outcomes. IPP is aiding in the contract development by offering its extensive knowledge of the DOC Community Reentry Initiative with vast data analysis of various service deliveries and costs of Missouri reentry programs. The Pay for Success contract will target the major issues of employment and housing facing this population. IPP is working in the development of assessment strategies to gauge agency success in meeting these desired metrics in the probation and parole population. IPP will serve as the evaluator of the project once a final contract is entered into with a service provider.

Impact:

IPP is aiding in the development of sound research practices and evaluation strategies to help ensure the success of DOC’s Pay for Success grant. By invoking best research practices and data collection expertise, the final contract will be better equipped to meet its desired goal of reducing recidivism in the Eastern region of Missouri for those on probation and parole.