Transcarceration and social control policy: The 1980s and beyond

During the 1980s, punishment and control became increasingly complex. As a result, the relevance of various forms of noncriminal justice system control-welfare assistance, psychiatric intervention, and education-has been increasingly recognized. The interaction between the various forms of control is characterized as transcarceration. The analysis in this article incorporates data from 50 states to assess interaction between various forms of control, holding constant the influence of social and economic conditions. Multivariate analyses indicate transcarceral effects do exist. Policy implications are discussed in light of demands by the public for more effective social control and fiscal constraint.