NCJ Number
11067
Date Published
1972
Length
123 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF RECIDIVISM FOR PERIODS UP TO FOUR YEARS POST RELEASE, AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROBABILITY OF RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
THE INITIAL CHAPTER IN THIS DOCUMENT NOTES LIMITATIONS IN RECIDIVISM STUDIES, CONSIDERS CORRELATES OF RECIDIVISM, AND BRIEFLY REVIEWS RECIDIVISM STUDIES FOR OTHER PRISONS. FOLLOWING SECTIONS DESCRIBE NORTH CAROLINA STUDIES ON RECIDIVISM, AND A STATITISTICAL METHOD FOR COMPUTING RECIDIVISM EXPECTANCIES. STUDY RESULTS INDICATE THAT APPROXIMATELY 41 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONS RELEASED FROM NORTH CAROLINA CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1968 WERE IDENTIFIED AS RECIDIVISTS WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF RELEASE. RECIDIVISM RATES FOR MEN RELEASED DURING THE SECOND SIX MONTHS OF 1968 WERE SIMILAR, THE AUTHOR STATES THAT RECIDIVISM RATES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO VARY SIGNIFICANTLY WITH TYPE OF RELEASE. THE DATA INDICATE THAT MEN ARE MORE RECIDIVISTIC THAN WOMEN, AND INDIVIDUALS MOST LIKELY TO REPEAT THEIR OFFENSE ARE PUBLIC DRUNKS. THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSITION THAT RECIDIVISTIC CRIMES ARE OF A MORE SERIOUS NATURE THAN FORMER CRIMES. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR PREDICTING RECIDIVISM WERE SHOWN TO BE THE NUMBER OF PRIOR CONVICTIONS AND ARE AT ADMISSION. APPENDED MATERIAL INCLUDES STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON OVERALL RECIDIVISM RATES FOR PRISONS AND PRISON SYSTEMS, CORRELATES OF RECIDIVISM, AND PROPORTIONAL REDUCTION IN ERROR OR PREDICTION OBTAINED BY USE OF BASE EXPECTANCIES OF RECIDIVISM. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)