An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Day Reporting Order (DRO) in its First 10 Years of Implementation in Singapore

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the day reporting order (DRO), a type of community-based sentence (CBS) in Singapore. First-time offenders sentenced to DRO or multiple CBS including DRO ( n = 403) were matched to a control group of similar offenders sentenced to a short imprisonment term ( n = 1,651), and their 2-year recidivism was compared. We found no significant difference in recidivism between first-time offenders sentenced to DRO or imprisonment. Factors influencing recidivism in DRO participants, such as their demographics, employment status, offence type and compliance with DRO conditions, were also examined. Results indicate no evidence that DRO performs worse than short-term imprisonment on recidivism outcomes, with key implications for criminal policy, sentencing practice and guidelines, and correctional practice.