NCJ Number
59519
Date Published
1979
Length
91 pages
Annotation
THIS VOLUME PRESENTS AND ANALYZES STATISTICAL DATA ON RECIDIVISM IN IOWA BETWEEN 1973 AND 1977, AND DISCUSSES RESULTING IMPLICATIONS FOR IOWA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE OPERATIONS.
Abstract
ITS FIGURES ARE BASED ON A FOLLOWUP STUDY OF 2,231 MALE AND FEMALE OFFENDERS RELEASED ON PAROLE OR BECAUSE OF SENTENCE EXPIRATION FROM JULY 1, 1973, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1976. OFFENDERS WERE STUDIED FOR UP TO 4 YEARS AFTER RELEASE. RECIDIVSM RATES VARIED GREATLY ACCORDING BOTH TO THE DEFINITION OF RECIDIVISM AND TO THE LENGTH OF FOLLOWUP. WITHIN A YEAR OF RELEASE, 13.7 PERCENT OF THE INMATES HAD PAROLE REVOKED OR HAD A NEW COMMITMENT. AN ADDITIONAL 5.6 PERCENT WERE CHARGED WITH NEW CRIMINAL OFFENSES, BUT WERE NOT INCARCERATED. WITHIN 2 YEARS, 22.4 PERCENT HAD RETURNED TO PRISON AND AN ADDITIONAL 9 PERCENT WERE CHARGED WITH NEW CRIMES. WITHIN 3 YEARS, THE RESPECTIVE PERCENTAGES WERE 27.2 PERCENT AND 12.2 PERCENT; WITHIN 4 YEARS, 28.9 PERCENT AND 16.4 PERCENT. OF THE 925 NEW CRIMINAL CHARGES, 69.5 PERCENT WERE FELONIES AND THE REMAINDER, MISDEMEANORS. YOUNGER OFFENDERS WITH SERIOUS JUVENILE RECORDS HAD HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN DID OLDER OFFENDERS WITH EXTENSIVE ADULT RECORDS. THOSE CONVICTED OF CRIMES CARRYING MANDATORY SENTENCES HAD LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN OTHERS. A POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN REDUCED RECIDIVISM RATES AND EXTENDED INCARCERATION AND PAROLE SUPERVISION WAS FOUND. METHODS OF RISK ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL RECIDIVISTS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE QUITE ACCURATE AND CAN BE USED BY CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM RATES AND INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY. FOOTNOTES, FIGURES, EXTENSIVE TABLES, APPENDIXES PRESENTING THE SCORING SYSTEM AND SUPPORTING DATA, ARE INCLUDED. FOR RELATED VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 59510-59518 AND 59520. (CFW)