ANALYSIS OF RECIDIVISM AMONG RESIDENTS RELEASED FROM MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DURING THE YEAR 1972 IN COMPARISON WITH RELEASES IN THE YEAR 1966 AND 1971

• NCJ Number: 32924
• Author(s): D P LECLAIR
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Massachusetts Dept of Correction
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RECIDIVISM IN MASSACHUSETTS PROVIDES DATA ON THE NUMBER OF RELEASES, THE DIFFERENTIAL RECIDIVISM RATES BY RELEASING INSTITUTION, AND RECIDIVISM RATES BY TYPE OF RELEASE.

Abstract

THIS STUDY REVEALED THAT 22 PERCENT OF THE RELEASEE POPULATION RETURNED TO PRISON WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE DATE OF THEIR RELEASE. THIS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE RECIDIVISM RATE FOR RELEASES IN PREVIOUS YEARS. HIGHER RATES OF RECIDIVISM OCCURRED FOR RELEASES DIRECTLY FROM MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS THAN FOR RELEASES FROM MEDIUM TO MINIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS. HOWEVER, FOR ALL RELEASING INSTITUTIONS, INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED A PAROLE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES OF RECIDIVISM THAN INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED A DISCHARGE. THIS COULD BE EXPLAINED BY THE FACT THAT PAROLEES COULD BE RETURNED FOR PAROLE VIOLATIONS, WHILE DISCHARGEES MAY ONLY BE RETURNED FOR REASON OF RECEIVING A NEW SENTENCE ON A NEW OFFENSE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)