Corrections is one area in which a handful of states and their local governments are seeing big improvements in results—and saving millions in the process—through a novel funding approach.

Cities, counties and school districts are facing a one-two punch: simultaneous drops in property tax revenue and state aid. The blows come even as demand for services is growing. This fiscal squeeze—not seen since 1980—has resulted in painful choices for local governments large and small.

Governor John Kitzhaber reappointed his Oregon Commission on Public Safety, which last year recommended reforming the state’s sentencing laws and increasing spending to bolster prevention and drive down recidivism. more

The outdated systems we use to register voters are often inaccurate, costly and inefficient. A new collaboration among states promises to go a long way toward bringing these systems into the modern age.