The Smartest Investment: How Public Education Delivers Big Returns for Society and the Economy

​Investing in public education yields substantial social and economic benefits, as detailed in the Education Law Center’s report, “Pennsylvania’s Best Investment: The Social and Economic Benefits of Public Education.” This comprehensive analysis highlights how quality education positively impacts employment rates, crime reduction, public health, and civic participation, ultimately leading to significant economic returns for society.





Cutting Crime, Boosting Returns: How Evidence-Based Programs Deliver Up to 31% Annual ROI for Taxpayers

​The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) conducted a comprehensive analysis titled “The Comparative Costs and Benefits of Programs to Reduce Crime, Version 4.0,” evaluating the economic efficiency of various crime reduction programs. By systematically reviewing evaluations from the past 25 years, WSIPP assessed whether the benefits of these programs, measured by their impact on crime reduction and the associated value to taxpayers and crime victims, outweigh their implementation costs.





The Social Impact of Green Energy Materials: Risks, ROI, and Sustainable Solutions

The global transition to green energy has accelerated rapidly, increasing the demand for critical materials like rare earth elements (REEs), lithium, nickel, silicon, and cobalt. While these materials power wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles (EVs), their mining and processing have significant social impacts. This study presents a quantitative assessment of these impacts, addressing employment rates, labor income share, gender equality, work safety, informal employment, and child labor—key indicators aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, and 8.