2018 Update On Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-Up Period (2005-2014)

• NCJ Number: 250975
• Date Published: May 2018
• Author(s): Mariel Alper; Matthew R. Durose; Joshua Markman
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Series: BJS Special Reports
• Publication Type: Statistics, Report (Annual/Periodic)

Annotation

This report presents rearrest data (recidivism) for 67,966 former state prisoners in 30 states who were released in 2005 and monitored for arrests during each of 9 years after their release (2005-2014).

Abstract

These 67,966 prisoners were randomly sampled to represent the 401,288 state prisoners released in 2005 in 30 states. Any arrests during the 9-year period were documented, whether or not the arrests were within or outside the state where they were imprisoned. The state prisoners released in 2005 had an average of five arrests per person during the 9-year follow-up period. Sixty percent of these arrests occurred during years 4 through 9 of the follow-up period. Forty-seven percent who did not have an arrest within 3 years of release were arrested during years 4 through 9. Seventy-seven percent of released drug offenders were arrested for a non-drug crime within the 9 years. For each year and cumulatively over the 9-year period, released property offenders were more likely to be rearrested than released violent offenders. Eight percent of those rearrested during the first year after release were arrested outside the state where they were released. The features and importance of recidivism and desistance from crime are outlined. 20 tables and 8 figures