Study Links Not Prosecuting Misdemeanors To Lower Crime By Justin Wise | April 4, 2021, 8:02 PM EDT A wave of progressives have entered U.S. district attorney's offices in recent years on platforms pledging to overhaul the criminal justice system. Some vowed to stop prosecuting certain nonviolent low-level offenses, arguing it was yielding little social benefit and causing significant harm to marginalized communities. A new academic study on misdemeanor prosecution inside a Massachusetts district attorney's office may provide added support to that approach. Published in late March as part of a working paper series from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the study finds that not prosecuting certain defendants charged with nonviolent misdemeanor offenses can substantially reduce the likelihood of their future contact with the criminal justice system. The effects of not prosecuting are estimated to be most pronounced for first-time defendants, the study noted, "suggesting that averting initial entry into the criminal justice system has the greatest benefits."