Recidivism Rates
Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to re-offend. The Bureau of Justice Statistics studies found high rates of recidivism among released prisoners. One study tracked 404,368 released prisoners in thirty states after their 2005 release from prison. This study found that:
- Within three years of release, about two-thirds (67.8%) of released prisoners were rearrested.
- Within five years of release, about three-fourths (76.6%) of released prisoners were rearrested.
- Property offenders were the most likely to be rearrested, with 82.1% of released property offenders to be arrested for a new crime, compared with 76.9% of drug offenders, 73.6% public order offenders, and 71.3% of violent offenders.
A study completed by California’s Department of Corrections shows that 73% of prisoners commit a new crime or violate parole within the first year. California has one of the highest recidivism in the U.S. today. Why does recidivism matter? Recidivism matters because the more people we incarcerate, the more money that must be spent on corrections. In 2013, the New York Times posted an article that revealed New York City spent $167,731 to feed, guard, and house each inmate in 2012. This data was first released from the Independent Budget Office.
There are also studies proving that prison program systems and those who have access to them have lower recidivism rates among those that are released. Some programs that are offered are:
- Anger management programs
- Vocational skills training
- Educational opportunities
- Trauma support groups
- Substance abuse groups
These programs are vital to those incarcerated, so they can regain the life skills they need to remain on the right path and stay out of prison. These programs are essential to help prisoners help themselves when they are released. What people don’t realize is that people in prisons are told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it every day. Then, they come out to the real world when they are released, and they don’t know what to do or how to do it because there is nobody there to tell them what to do or how to do it like there has been for the duration of their sentence. One also must recognize that there are multiple factors that go into a prisoner turning his or her life around, like the want and willpower to invest in the time that it takes to learn the skills they need to prepare them for their release. In California, legislators have decreased funding of these programs over the years, or already have completely stopped funding them all together.
