STATE RECIDIVISM STUDIES
This database provides references for 99 recidivism studies conducted between 1995-2009 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The studies have been produced by a variety of agencies, including departments of corrections, sentencing commissions,
statistical analysis centers, and universities. The analyses addresses a broad variety of issues, including juvenile/adult status, gender, race, type of offense, type of program intervention, and many others. Because of this diversity, measurements of
recidivism rates are not necessarily comparable across jurisdictions, but overall the studies provide insight into the variety of factors that affect recidivism for people sentenced to incarceration or community supervision.
6/10

State

2005

Population targeted by
study
Juveniles

Alabama Department of
Corrections

2007

Adult

10,956 persons released in 2003

Alaska Judicial Council

2007

Felons

Alaska Judicial Council

2007

Felons

Alaska Department of
Corrections, Offender Programs,
and the Alaska Justice Statistical
Analysis Unit, Justice Center,
University of Alaska Anchorage.

1996

Sex Offenders

Arizona Department of
Corrections

2005

Reported by

Alabama

Alabama

Year of Study Release

Population specifics

Program type (if any)

Juveniles

Recidivism definition

Finding or Recidivism Rate

Other findings

Reincarcerated within 2 years of release

66% of juveniles recidivated

None

Reincarcerated within 3 years of release

27.9%

Rates by offense: Robbery (30.3%), Burglary (39.7%), Forgery (32.6%), Rape & Sex Offenses (22.6%), Assault (21.6%), Drugs (24%); Rates
by ethnicity & gender: black male (28.7%), white male (28.9%), white female (23.6%), black female (19.8%), male (28.7%), female (21.9%)

1,798 offenders with at least one
felony conviction in 1999

None

Rearrested, new court case filed, reconvicted,
and reincarcerated within 3 years of release
from prison

66% reincarcerated at least once for a new offense or probation/parole
violation; 59% arrested at least once for a new offense

Younger offenders had higher recidivism rates, property offenders had higher re-arrest rates, sex offenders had lowest re-arrest rates, indigent
offenders had 22% higher r -arrest rates than those with private attorneys. Those with alcohol problems had slightly higher recidivism rates
(57% compared to 50%). 62% of those with drug problems recidivated compared to 57% of those without drug problems. An offender's ethnicity
(if Native), prior criminal history, alcohol, drug and mental health problems were other factors that increased the chance of re-arrest. A great
majority of re-arrests had occurred by the end of two years after initial arrest.

117 offenders participating in
therapeutic courts (alcohol and drug
programs) charged mostly with
felonies in 1999

Drug Court/Therapeutic courts

New arrest or new conviction 1 year after
release from program or prison

13% of graduates were rearrested within one year after completing a
therapeutic court program compared to a 32% rearrest rate for
comparison offenders

The longer individuals were in programs the less likely they were to recidivate, even if they did not graduate the program. Younger participants
more likely to recidivate. Those in DUI court were less likely to be arrested than those in drug court. Blacks did not respond as well to
therapeutic programs as whites. Those who were discharged, or voluntarily left, had similar recidivism rates to those not in the programs.

685 sex offenders in treatment center
Sex Offender Treatment
from 1987-1995

Varied

Unspecified: those in program longer took longer to reoffend than those
in program for shorter periods

The study found that any treatment lowered recidivism rates relative to no treatment for sex offenders; for all offenders who completed the
advanced stage, none were rearrested for sexual offenses; those with no history of abuse advanced further in the program, and those with a
history tended to leave at earlier stages of the program.

Felons

54,660 prisoners released from 1990None
1999

Reincarceration after 3 years of release

42.4% returned to custody for any reason, 24.5% returned to custody
with a new criminal commitment, 23.2% acquired a new felony
conviction, 5.9% acquired a new felony conviction for a violent crime,
30.9% committed a new felony offense, and 7.9% committed a new
violent felony offense resulting in recommitment

Those who participated in work and education programs, vocational education, and substance abuse treatment had recidivism reduced by an
average of 25%. Prison industry programs reduced recidivism by approximately 34%.

538 sex offenders released in 2001;
however, n=290 because the status of
232 of these individuals labeled as sex
None
offenders could not be confirmed and
were subsequently excluded from the
study sample.

Percent rearrested for any type of crime

28.6%

58% of non-sex offenders were rearrested for a new crime within 3 years of release. 56.7% of sex offenders who were rearrested were charged
with a felony. This is higher than the 41.6% of non-sex offenders who were rearrested for a felony offense. Latino men (45.8%) released in
2001 were more likely than Caucasian men (22.8%) to be rearrested for a new crime within the first 3 years of release. Latino men (5.1%) and
black men (3.0%) had the highest rearrest rates for another sex crime compared to Caucasian men (1.9%).The younger the prisoner when
released, the higher the rate of recidivism--63.3% of offenders under the age of 25 at release were rearrested for some type of crime within 3
years compared to 21% of those age 45 or older.

Alaska

Alaska

Alaska

Arizona

Arizona Criminal Justice
Commission (Statistical Analysis
Center Publication)

2009

Sex Offenders

Arkansas Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons

12,379 persons released in 2003 or
2004

None

Reincarcerated within 3 years of release from
prison

47.4% of all those released in 2003 were reincarcerated by 2006; 44.4% Those on parole experienced higher rates of recidivism than those were simply discharged. Males age 25-34 were shown to be most at risk of
of all those released in 2004 were reincarcerated by 2007
recidivating, as were those 18-24 years old.

Arkansas Department of
Corrections

2006

Felons

6,015 persons released in 2002

None

Reincarcerated within 3 years of release from
prison starting from 2002

49.4% of persons released in 2002 were reincarcerated by 2005

Of the 5, 841 parolees released, 2,938 or 50.3% recidivated. Of the 174 offenders discharged, 31, or 17.8% recidivated. At the end of the 3year period, African Americans, who accounted for 2,618 releases, recidivated at a slightly higher rate (51%) than Caucasians (49%), who
accounted for 3,292 of releases; The return rate for Hispanics was significantly less at 17.3%, accounting for 75 releases in 2002.

Arkansas Department of
Corrections

2005

Felons

5,962 persons released in 2001

None

Reincarcerated within 3 years of release from
prison starting from 2001

51.4% of persons released in 2001 were reincarcerated by 2004

Parolees demonstrated a 52.6% recidivism rate while discharged persons experienced a 12.5% recidivism rate. African Americans recidivated
at a slightly higher recidivism rate (54%) than Caucasians (50%) while 28% of Hispanics recidivated.

California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation

2006

Felons

62,004 Felons released on parole in
2004

None

Reincarcerated within 1 year of release, and
reincarcerated within 2 years of release

52.7% recidivism rate after 2 years for all felons.

California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation

2009

Felons

66,061 Felons released on parole in
2005

None

Reincarcerated within 1, 2, and 3 years of
release; ratio of the number of recidivists
39.9% recidivism rate after 1 year; 54.2% recidivism rate after 2 years,
(number returned) to the number of felons at risk
and 59% recidivism rate after 3 years.
of recidivating (number paroled) during the
specified period.

California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation

2009

Felons

69,044 Felons released on parole in
2006

None

Reincarcerated within 1 year of release, and
reincarcerated within 2 years of release

Arizona

Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas

California

California

40.2% recidivism rate after 1 year; 52.3% recidivism rate after 2 years.

California
20, 385 offenders who either
successfully completed or
unsuccessfully completed stays with
halfway houses between 2000-2004.
Successful completion included
program completion and transfer to
Reentry House
non-residential community corrections
status, on probation/parole
supervision, or completion of
sentence. Unsuccessful completion
involved new crime and warrants or
absconding or escaping.

New misdemeanor or felony within 1 year and 2
26.8% recidivated after 2 years.
years of release.

Office of Research and
Statistics, Division of Criminal
Justice, Colorado Department of
Public Safety.

2006

Felons who participated in
community programs

Colorado Department of
Corrections

2005

Felons

Felons

None

Return to prison within 3 years of release from
prison.

49.8% recidivated after 3 years

RKC Group

2008

Felons

Felons

None

Return to prison within 3 years of release from
prison.

49% recidivated after 3 years

Department of Corrections and
Central Connecticut State
University’s Institute for the
Study of Crime and Justice.

Comprehensive study, reports on other studies: GED attainment helps find employment post-release, which then reduces recidivism rates. Drug
treatment programs (therapeutic communities) reduce recidivism and are just as effective for those who are coerced into treatment as those
who enter voluntarily. One study done by the Center for Court Innovation (CCI) in New York. found recidivism rates for drug court participants
was 29% lower than for similar offenders who did not participate in drug court

2006

Felons

8,821 felons released from 2001-2006 None

Reconviction within the 5 year period between
2001-2006

39% reconviction rate

47% recidivated who were not given supervision post-release. Supervision in halfway house significantly reduced recidivism, to 24% (or half of
the reconviction rate of those unsupervised).

Office of Policy & Management,
Criminal Justice Policy and
Planning Division, Research,
Analysis and Evaluation Unit

2009

Felons

16, 486 felons released in 2004

None

3 year follow-up; 1) new arrests 2) new
Within 3 years of release: 67% arrested for new offense, 55.6%
convictions 3) any incidence of re-incarceration, convicted of new offense, 56% were incarcerated (any reincarceration),
4) returns to prison with a new sentence
36.7% reincarcerated for new offenses

Those released to half-way houses were less likely to be rearrested (63.7%), reconvicted (51.7%), and reincarcerated (35.5%) across the
release cohort. For example, probationers and those under transitional supervision were rearrested, reconvicted, and reincarcerated at rates of
70.8%, 59%, and 41.7%. Those in transitional supervision were rearrested at 71.7%, reconvicted at 57.8%, and reincarcerated at 37.3% of the
time. Modest decline in reincarceration rate for new offense from 2006 study.

Alternatives to Violence Program

2005

Felons who participated in
conflict resolution program

300 male felons who voluntarily
participated in Alternative to Violence
Program

Alternatives to Violence
Conflict Resolution Program

Reconviction within 1, 2, and 3 years of release 11.5% reconvicted within 3 years of release

Compared to recidivism rates of non-participants, those who participated in the conflict resolution program were reconvicted less often. But
these individuals may differ since they volunteered to participate in the program.

Delaware Department of
Corrections

2000

Felons

Felons

None

Reincarceration within 30-36 months after
release

Center for Drug & Alcohol
Studies

2005

Felons who participated in
drug courts

Delaware Juvenile Drug Court
Diversion Program

2000

Juveniles

Office of Management and
Budget Statistical Analysis
Center

2007

Office of Management and
Budget Statistical Analysis
Center

Office of Management and
Budget Statistical Analysis
Center

Employed individuals were less likely to recidivate as were people with more education; whites were less likely to recidivate than black and
Latino ex-offenders, married individuals were less likely to recidivate than single ex-offenders.

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Connecticut

Connecticut

Delaware

47.5%

Delaware
452 probation-violators with substance
abuse problems sentenced to drug
Reconviction within 3 years of graduation from
Drug Court/Therapeutic courts
courts between October of 1993 and
drug court
March of 1997

33% of drug court graduates were reconvicted, 80% of those who were Those coded as violent offenders (for charges prior to drug court) were significantly more likely to re-offend post release from drug court, and
dismissed or left voluntarily before graduating were reconvicted
more likely to reoffend with a violent offense (almost 25% compared to less than 10% for those coded as non-vi

154 first-time juvenile offenders
admitted to therapeutic diversion
program in 2 Delaware counties

Drug Court/Therapeutic courts

Reconviction within 1 year of release or
termination of program

35% of graduates recidivated compared to 60% who did not complete
the program

Juvenile sex offenders

22 sex offenders released in 2001

None

Rearrest and reincarceration within 5 years of
release

77% rearrested within 5 years of release, 41% rearrested for a new sex
Black juvenile sex offenders (41%) were more likely to be rearrested than white juvenile sex offenders (36%).
crime and 64% rearrested for a felony within 5 years of release

2007

Adult sex offenders

78 sex offenders released in 2001

None

Rearrest within 3 years of release

71.8% rearrested for any new crime or violation of probation/parole

Overall recidivism was higher for blacks than whites.

2009

Serious and Violent Offenders

303 offenders (92 successfully
completed program)

Serious and Violent offender
Reentry Initiative (SVORI)

Rearrest for a new felony within one year of
starting the SVORI program

76.2%

63.5% for those who completed SVORI program, compared to 82.1% for offenders who did not complete the program. For Hispanic males
(n=17) the SVORI participants were arrested within one year (100%), while the remaining 13 males who did not participate, were least likely to
recidivate (69.2%). White females had the best outcomes among those who participated and completed the SVORI program. White females also
had the lowest rearrest rate (41.7%), followed by black females at 66.7% and were less likely to complete SVORI compared to white females. At
about the same successful completion rate, black males recidivated (68.5%) at a higher rate than white males (52.9%).

1,048 released from Level V
residential placement; 2,354 released
from Level IV placement; 3,964
released from Level III placement

Locked secure facility (level V),
staff secure (level IV) or a nonsecure program (level III);
levels define intensity of
Rearrest for a felony within 6,12,18,24, and 36
programming and residential
months
placement; synonymous with
idea of max-med-low security
facilities

Level V locked secure facility: 43% rearrested; Level IV staff secure
programs: 40% arrested; Level III non-secure program: 30% rearrested.

Delaware

Delaware

A matched comparison group showed a 50% recidivism rate

Delaware

Delaware

Delaware

Office of Management and
Budget Statistical Analysis
Center

2009

Juveniles

District of Columbia Department
of Corrections

2008

Felons

Felons

None

Reincarceration within 1 year

23% for all inmates

Florida Department of
Corrections

2003

Felons

96,415 male and female inmates

None

Reconviction and reimprisonment within 60
months of release from prison

55.8%, 38.7%, and 41.6% of black, other race, and Hispanic males
reoffended. 44.2%, 40.5%, and 35.8% of black, other race, and Hispanic Female inmates reoffend at a lower rate than males, the reoffense rates of inmates over age 44 at release (the largest category) are about 22
females reoffended. Similarly, 45.1%, 28.1%, and 31.7% of black, other percentage points lower than inmates aged 18 to 24 (the smallest category), 15% more Blacks reoffend than whites, those with lower education
race and Hispanic males were reimprisoned, while 25.4%, 23.2%, and
reoffend more than those with slightly higher educational attainment.
19.9% of black, other race, and Hispanic females were reimprisoned

Georgia Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

28%

Hawaii Youth Correctional
Facility

2001

Juveniles

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

28%, down from 37% in 2006 after instituting "Risk Reduction Services"

Georgia

Hawaii

370 juveniles released between FY
1996 and 1998

Rearrest, reconviction, or reincarceration within
82% rearrested, 57.3% reconvicted, 32.2% reincarcerated
2 years of release from juvenile facility

Hawaii Department of Attorney
General

2005

Felons

1,200 Offenders who whose risk was
assessed and various levels of
supervision were given based on risk
level

Levels of Service Inventory
Revised (LSI-R) risk
assessment tool

Rearrest within 6 months of release and
categorized by different levels associated with
LSIR, meaning offenders with high probabilities
of offending were given services that
corresponded with the various levels of LSI-R.
In order of level categorized: Administrative 22.6%, Low 32.9%, Medium Basically the LSI-R is a good predictor of recidivism rates in Hawaii. Takes into account offender's current age, age at first conviction, prior
Such levels included (1) administrative; or no
42.2%, High 41.6%, Surveillance 42.2%
arrests, etc.
LSI-R assessment, (2) low, (3) medium, (4) high
levels, and (5) Surveillance, which
corresponded with use of LSI-R risk
assessments for offenders that scores offenders
based on needs

Idaho Department of Corrections

2007

Felons

Felons

None

Previous discharged offenders, probationers,
and parolees who are reincarcerated, revoked,
or incarcerated for a new crime within 5 years of
release

University of Cincinnati

2003

Felons who participated in
drug courts

Illinois Criminal Justice
Information Authority

2004

All inmates released from IL prison in
Gang members released in 2000 (2,354 inmates) 26% of whom
2000 from IL prison
were considered to be active gang
members

University of Missouri, St. Louis
submitted to ICJIA

2000

Probationers

Indiana Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons

Indiana Department of
Corrections

2007

Juveniles

Human Rights Division of
Criminal and Juvenile Justice
Planning Statistical Analysis
Center

2001

Felons

Iowa Department of Human
Rights, Division of Criminal and
Juvenile Justice Planning and
Statistical Analysis Center

2000

Sex Offenders

Division of Criminal and Juvenile
Justice Planning

2004

Violent Offenders

Iowa Department of Human
Rights, Division of Criminal and
Juvenile Justice Planning

2005

Juveniles

Cindy J. Smith, Ph.D. and
Jennifer Bechtel, M.S.

2005

Felons

Hawaii

74% of discharged offenders recidivate within 5 years; 82% of
probationers recidivate within 30 months and declines to 12% after 3
50% of probationers who recidivate will do so within one year, 83% within 2 years.
years; 83% of parolees recidivate within 2 years and declines to 6% after
3 years.

Idaho

Felons who participated in drug courts Drug Court/Therapeutic courts

Rearrest and reincarceration within an average 80% of drug court graduates were not rearrested and only 8% committed
Those who failed to complete the program had a 60% rearrest rate; 53% of those in the comparison group recidivated
of 419 days and 1,243 days respectively
drug offenses

Idaho

None

Rearrest and re-incarceration within about 26
months (2.2 years) from release in 2000

75% of active gang members rearrested, about 63% of non-gang
members rearrested

3,017 inmates discharged from
probation in 2000

Drug Treatment

Rearrest within 4 years

Treatment completers had a recidivism rate of 37% after four years,
those who failed out of treatment had a recidivism rate of 67% after four Probationers with a history of drug abuse significantly more likely to be rearrested post-probation: within four years 1.4 times as likely and 1.3
years. Drug users without any treatment had a 53% recidivism rate after times as likely to be rearrested on a drug-related charge.
four years.

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

38%

Nearly 50% of those charged with weapons charges recidivated; the younger the offenders were the more likely they were to recidivate; sex
offenders were the most likely to recidivate

1, 543 Juveniles released in 2004

None

Reincarceration within 3 years of release from
prison

A third (34%) of juveniles recidivated

Nearly 38% of African American juvenile offenders returned to the DOC, a higher rate than both Caucasian and Hispanic offenders; 74% of
juveniles returned for a new crime, as opposed to a technical violation

Felons

None

Reconviction within 5 years of release from
prison in FY 96

31.7% of parolees, and 35.2% of releases whose sentences expired

Violent offenders returned at lower rates than non-violent offenders, and sex offenders had the lowest rate of recidivism. Violent young
offenders (under 21) had the highest recidivism rates of any offense/age group

434: 2 groups of sex offenders (201
pre-registry and 233 registry)

Development of Sex Offender
Registry

Reconviction for any sex crime, non-sex crime, 24.5% of registry sex offenders were convicted of a new crime, 3.0% of
and revocation of parole or probation within 4.3 which were sex crimes. 33.3% pre-registry sex offenders were convicted Almost a fifth (18%) of new convictions were out-of-state convictions
years
of a new crime, 3.5% of which were sex crimes.

1,768 violent offenders

None

New arrests (felony, violent), reincarceration,
and new arrest for a sex crime within 3 years

52.2% of violent offender releases were rearrested within 3 years;
28.6%violent offender releases were reincarcerated within 3 years; and
23.6% of violent offender releases were convicted of a new offense and
reincarcerated within 3 years

13, 032 Juveniles referred

None

Delinquency complaints within 3 years of initial
complaint

34% reoffended and 66% did not reoffend in 8 out 9 districts within Iowa.

1, 091 Felons

52.2% were not rearrested, 66.9% were not convicted, and 95.2% were
Prison Industries Enhancement New arrest, conviction, and incarceration in less not reincarcerated. Compared to the control groups--work in traditional
Certification Program (PIECP) than 2 years and up to 4.5 years
correctional industries and other than work (no industry work/job)--the
rates of success are comparable

Felons

Variety of program participants
evaluated, including: sex
offender program, 3 kinds of
substance abuse programs,
Reconviction within 1, 2 and 3 years of release
vocational education program, from program
pre-release program, work
release program, inner change
program

Gang members were more likely to be arrested for drug crimes (40%) than non-gang members (29%)

Illinois

Illinois

Indiana

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa

Native Americans showed the highest rates of recidivism after 3 years. African Americans generally showed higher recidivism rates than
Caucasians. Those released without parole had rates of new violent felonies 43% higher than those released on parole.

Iowa

Iowa

Iowa

Rates of reconviction: Sex offender program (37.5%), Substance Abuse
Treatment Program: ADAPT (37.5%), Substance Abuse Treatment
Sex offender treatment was the most beneficial; those who needed program but didn't receive treatment recidivated at a rate of 56.1% vs. those
Program: CDRP (30.7%), Substance Abuse Treatment Program: TC
who were in the program recidivating at 37.7%; Substance abuse treatment (3 types) had beneficial outcomes; those who received treatment
(31.4%), Vocational Education Program (39%), Pre-Release Program
recidivated at slightly lower rates than those who needed treatment and did not receive it.
(46.1%), Work Release Program (32.6%), Inner Change (28.1%), TTP
(85.7%)

Kansas Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons who participated in
various programs

Kentucky Department of
Corrections

2003

Felons

7, 579 Felons

None

Reconviction within 2 years of release from
prison

27.5%

Louisiana Department of Public
Safety and Corrections

2009

Adults

Total population (male and female)

None

Reconviction or technical revocation within 5
years

Recidivism trend from 2003 to 2008: 2003 (46.5%), 2004 (45.8%), 2005
(41.6%), 2006 (34.6%), 2007 (26.7%), 2008 (11.1%)

Maine Department of
Corrections

2007

Juveniles

Juveniles, 2004 cohort

None

Juveniles who are adjudicated for a second
offense during supervision or within one year of 18%
release from MDOC supervision

Drug and alcohol offenses accounted for 18% of all new adjudications.

Juveniles, 2005 cohort

None

Any individual who records a first adjudication in
Maine's juvenile court system for offenses
committed before the age of 18 and records a
27% (a significant increase compared to the 2004 cohort rate of 18%)
second adjudication for a new offense in
Maine's juvenile court system or Maine's adult
court system

Juveniles tracked into the adult system also maintained higher recidivism rates (24%) than the previous year. Drug and alcohol offenses
accounted for 22% of adjudications for first time juvenile offenders

Adults

None

An arrest (or ticket, and summons) for any
municipal, state, or federal misdemeanor or
25.4% after 1 year of release
felony crime measured within 6 months, 1 year,
2 years, and 3 years

Education

Rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration

Participants had a 30.9% reincarceration rate; non-participants had a
37.7% reincarceration rate

1,786 male felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release

39% (or 35% without technical violations)

Recidivists tended to be younger, unmarried, and to have served shorter sentences, and blacks recidivated at higher rates than whites. Nonviolent offenders recidivated at higher rates than violent offenders. Drug offenders serving mandatory minimums had lower recidivism rates than
those serving non-mandatory sentences. Parolees had higher recidivism rates than those who were released because of sentence expiration.

2,379 juveniles released from
residential treatment

Juvenile Residential Treatment

Felony arrest within 2 years of release from
juvenile facility

37% for felony arrest and 10% for incarceration

Recidivism rates were higher for minorities

Felons

None

Reconvicted within 3 years of release from
prison

24%

19% of Minnesota’s offenders are returned to prison with a new crime within three years

3,166 sex offenders released from a
state correctional facility between
1990 and 2002

Sex offender treatment and
post-release supervision

Rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration for a
After 3 years, 7 % rearrested for a sex offense, 6% reconvicted, and 3%
new crime; Average follow-up was 8.4 years,
reincarcerated; after 3 years, 24% of the offenders has been rearrested
with a minimum of 3 years and maximum of 16
for a non-sex offense, 19% reconvicted, and 9% reincarcerated.
years

Intensive supervised release (ISR), supervised release, supervised release revocations (amount of time spent in prison for supervised released
violations and deducted from total at-risk time), and successful participation/completion of sex offender treatment each significantly reduced the
risk of timing to a sex reoffense; longer post-release supervision period and offenders with a history of victimizing male children significantly
reduced the ris timing to a non-sexual offense

240 Offenders ( 208 adults and 32
juveniles) divided into an experimental
Re-entry
group (N=208) and a control group
(N=121)

Felon reconviction and reincarceration for a new
26% were reconvicted compared to 20% of control group
crime within 2 years of release from prison

SOAR participants had significantly greater criminal histories than offenders in the control group, despite random assignment

15, 910 juveniles

None

Referral to the juvenile office for a legally
sufficient law violation (ordinance violations,
misdemeanor, or felony) during a calendar year
26%
and receives one or more law violation(s) to
juvenile or adult court within one year of initial
referral's disposition date.

29% male offenders reoffend within 12 months, compared to 19% of females. 31% of black youth return to the care of juvenile authorities
through recidivating, followed by American Indian offenders (26%), and white offenders (24%).

808 sex offenders who completed a
sex offender program

STATIC-99 Sex offender
Reconviction within 3 years
program (risk assessment tool)

Sentences

Recommended sentences

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Violent offenders had higher recidivism rates than other groups; those with supervised release returned in greater numbers than those who
were discharged; a higher percentage of blacks returned than whites

Maine

Maine Statistical Analysis Center

2008

1, 316 Juveniles

Maine Statistical Analysis Center

2008

Adults

Correctional Education
Association

1998

Urban Institute

2008

Felons

Michigan Department of Human
Services

2005

Juveniles released from
residential treatment

Minnesota Department of
Corrections

2002

Felons

Minnesota Department of
Corrections

2007

Sex Offenders

Minnesota Department of
Corrections

2006

Felons participating in reentry program: Serious
Offender Accountability
Restoration (SOAR)

Supreme Court of Missouri

2009

Juveniles

Missouri Sentencing
Commission

2007

Sex Offenders

Missouri Sentencing
Commission

2007

Felons

University of MontanaMissoula/Montana Department
of Corrections

2005

Felons who participated in sex
offender or drug abuse
treatment

University of MontanaMissoula/Montana Department
of Corrections

2006

Felons

University of MontanaMissoula/Montana Department
of Corrections

2004

Felons (female)

Nebraska Department of
Corrections

2007

Nevada Department of
Corrections

New Hampshire Department of
Corrections

Maine

Maine
Felons: comparing those in
Felons participating in education
education programs to those
programs
not in education programs

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Missouri

29.7% within three years

0.6% convicted of a new sex offense; 60% of high risk sex offenders returned within 3 years, 26.3% for moderate-high risk offenders, 32.3% for
low-moderate risk offenders, and 18.2% for low risk sex offenders

Reincarceration and new conviction within 6
months, 1, 2, 3, and 5 years

Recidivism rates are lowest under a probation sentence, increases with
Community Structured Supervision (CSS) sentences, and is highest for
prison and shock and treatment programs.

When the recommended sentence of probation is imposed (occurs 77% of the time), recidivism rates are low. However, when the recommended
sentence is probation and actual sentence is prison, recidivism rates are much higher, whether measured by new conviction or reincarceration.
The same high trend of recidivism continues if the scenario is reversed.

Sex Offender Treatment &
Drug abuse treatment

Adult offender who returns to prison within 3
years of release

Drug/chemical dependence treatment rate: 55.3% of compliant
For those in the drug abuse treatment program, the longer the sentence, the higher the recidivism rate. Drug treatment had best impact on
participants recidivated compared to 77% of those without any treatment.
white inmates who were under 40 at time of release.
38.2% of treatment compliant sex offenders recidivated.

885 (successfully completed prerelease stays)

Pre-release program

Within calendar year 2002 and FY 2004-2005

55% who were discharged from pre-release centers did not recidivate,
while 45% were reincarcerated

23 females

Medical Wheel (Native
Those inmates who completed medicine wheel had lower rates of recidivism than those in the comparable non-treatment group. The same
American based chemical
Return to prison for any reason within 3 years of Overall recidivism rate was 22.7% (N=5): for treatment population, 17.6%
follows for inmates who completed the anger management treatment. Native American inmates benefited more from the medicine wheel
dependency program) & Anger release
(N=3) and 40% for the non-treatment population (N=2).
treatment, but not anger management treatment, where they were more likely to return to prison
Management treatment

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

25.5%

2007

Felons

Felons

None

Readmission within 3 years of release from
prison

In 2004, 24%

2009

Felons

1,082 Felons

None

Reincarceration as a result of a new sentence
or parole or probation revocation within three
years of release

44.2%

Recidivism rate for males was 45.2%; females 34.6%; males younger than 25 had highest recidivism rate (52.8%) while females between 20-25
and in their forties recidivated 41.7% and 40% of the time, respectively. Offenders convicted of drug crimes had the lowest recidivism rate
(36.5%) compared to those convicted of violent crimes (40.3%), public order crimes (47.6%), and property crimes (50.2%).

Random sample of 336 homicide
offenders; Typology used: 1) homicide
precipitated by a general altercation or
argument, 2) homicide during the
None
commission of a felony, 3) domestic
violence-related homicide, and 4) a
homicide relating to an accident
(involuntary; usually DUI related)

Committing another homicide within 5 years

0% for new homicides

Slightly over 1/3 recidivism rate for new violent and drug offenses in the felony homicide group; 27% recidivism rate for homicide offenders
whose offenses were precipitated by an altercation; less than 10% for domestic violence homicide offenders

718 sex offenders released in 1994
Adult Diagnostic Treatment
and 1997 (495 in treatment group and
Center (ADTC)
223 general population)

Rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration
within 4 years (1997 cohort) and 7 years (1994
cohort) which is then divided into nonsexual
recidivism and sexual recidivism

33% recidivated by committing a new offense, including 14% committing Significant differences exist between offenders who received treatment in the Adult Diagnostic Treatment Center (ADTC), a sex-offendera sexual offense and 24% a nonsexual offense.
specific prison, and the general population in regard to nonsexual reoffending only

Adult felons

None

Rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration rate 55% rearrested, 43% reconvicted, and 31% reincarcerated

Of those offenders rearrested, about half were rearrested within 9 months of release

62 juveniles who exited the juvenile
drug court program between 20012002

Juvenile Drug Court

Any referral to the Juvenile Justice Department,
or any new arrest as an adult (exposure time
Juvenile drug court graduates recidivated at rate of 28%
varied)

Compared to similar subjects who did not receive drug court treatment, those who participated in the program had much lower recidivism rates

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

46.7%

19, 837 sex offenders on sex offender
None
registry

New arrest, charge, conviction or incarceration
within 2 years of registration

24% arrested for a new crime

Probationers

Felony rearrest within 1,2, and 3 years of
release

12.4% rearrested within 1 year, 20.1% within 2 years and 25.7% within 3 Probationers were less likely to be rearrested for a felony drug offense than for a felony offense defined as "other" or for a violent felony
years
offense

56, 983 offenders released in FY 2003None
04

Rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration
within 3 years; Two interim outcomes also
measured: technical revocation of probation or
post-release supervision and prison infractions
during incarceration

38.7% rearrested, 26.4% reconvicted, and 29.1% reincarcerated

20, 236 juveniles

All subsequent delinquent complaints and adult
arrests within 3 years following first court event Overall recidivism rate: 56.6%
of sample period (June 1, 2004--June 30, 2005)

Missouri

Missouri

Montana

Persons coming from prisons (to pre-release center) were significantly less likely to recidivate than those coming from other referral sources

Montana

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey Department of
Corrections Research and
Evaluation Unit

2007

Homicide Offenders

New Jersey Department of
Corrections Research and
Evaluation Unit

2005

Sex Offenders

New Jersey Department of
Corrections

N/A

Adult felons

University of Memphis

2006

Juveniles in drug court

New Mexico Independent

2008

Felons

New York State Division of
Probation and Correctional
Alternatives

2007

Sex Offenders

New York State Division of
Probation and Correctional
Alternatives

2009

Probationers

North Carolina Sentencing and
Policy Advisory Commission

2008

Felons

North Carolina Sentencing and
Policy Advisory Commission

2009

Juveniles

New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey

New Mexico

New Mexico

New York

None

New York

North Carolina

None

Most rearrests occurred within the first year of release, Factors that decreased the probability of rearrest included being married, employed,
having at least twelve years of education, having a felony as the current conviction, having a longer prison sentence imposed, and having more
prior incarcerations. Age also decreased an offender’s chance of rearrest, with offenders being less likely to be rearrested as they grew older.
Those with post-release supervision had lower rearrest rates than those without PRS. Ages 21 and younger had the highest recidivism rates.

Violent juvenile offenders were least likely to recidivate (39.8%) compared to serious (57.5%) and minor offense (56.9%) juvenile offenders.

North Carolina

90 juveniles who participated in drug
courts by 2004

North Dakota State University

2004

Juveniles in drug court

Ohio Department of
Rehabilitation and Corrections

1997

Felons participating in Ohio
Penal Industry program

Felons participating in Ohio Penal
Industry program

Ohio Department of
Rehabilitation and Corrections

2001

Sex Offenders

Sex Offenders

Drug Court (n=2)

Rearrest within 4 years

For the first drug court evaluated, East Central Judicial District,
graduates were more likely to be charged with a substance abuse
violation (50%) than those terminated from the program (48%) and the
comparison group (21%). Conversely, for the second drug court
evaluated, Northeast Central Judicial District graduates were less likely
(12%) to be charged with a substance abuse violation than those
terminated (38%) and the comparison group (21%). However, this latter
finding is not statistically significant. Differences between the two drug
courts may be attributed to different lengths of stay at each drug court
and late admission to the East Central drug court.

Job training

Reconviction within 5 years of release

OPI group recidivated at 54%, comparison group recidivated at 58% :
differences not statistically significant

Blacks had higher recidivism rates overall.

None

Reconviction for any offense within 10 years

34%

22.3% for new crime (sex crime and others), 11.7% for technical violation

27.8%

Under 20 years old recidivated at 43%, those above 50 recidivated at 9.6%, Black males more likely to recidivate than white males, The most
recent survival analyses of institutional treatment programs find that completers of all Oklahoma DOC programs have lower return rates after at
least 36 months than program non-participants. Adult Basic Education has proven to be Oklahoma's most successful program. The Level of
Service Inventory- Revised (LSI-R) at reception, ranks offenders as low, medium, or high in terms of risk levels for further offending and needs
for services to prevent future recidivism. Survival analysis of those offenders released in FY 2004 found that 36 months later, 7% of low LSI-R
offenders had returned to DO 32% of medium LSI-R offenders, and 70% of high LSI-R offenders.

Low risk and high risk offenders did better if released to probation and parole instead of immediate discharge from ODOC

North Dakota

Ohio

Ohio

Those who did not complete the program because of termination due to age (becoming 18 before completion) or other factors had higher
recidivism rates than the comparison group. The older participants had higher rates of recidivism (closer to 18, many of which probably
terminated because of this fact)

Oklahoma Department of
Corrections

2005

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

Oklahoma Department of
Corrections

2009

Felons

606 offenders

GPS Supervision

Reincarceration within 3 years

Low risk offenders had the lowest recidivism rate (11%), while high risk
offenders returned to prison at a higher rate (14%).

Oregon Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction of new felony within 3 years of
release from prison

31.3%

Oregon Department of
Corrections Research and
Statistics

2009

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction of any felony within 3 years of
release from prison

Paroled offender 2005 cohort: 29.3%; Probation 2005 cohort: 24.2%

Pennsylvania Department of
Corrections

2006

Felons

Felons

None

Return to custody of a Pennsylvania state
correctional institution for any reason

At three years post release in 1999, the recidivism rate was 43.6. In 2002
the 3 year recidivism rate was 46.3%. At one year post release in 2004,
the recidivism rate was 25.9%

Pennsylvania Department of
Corrections

2009

Recently released offenders

772 COR Completers; 538 Control
Group

Community Orientation and
Reintegration (COR) program

Overall recidivism: rearrest, reconviction, or
COR completers had a slightly higher overall recidivism rate (71%)
reimprisonment following release from prison in
compared to the control group (70.1%)
2001 or 2002

Both groups had rearrest and reconviction rates lower than national rates. Racial composition of study population: 53.4% African Americans
comprised COR completers and 55.2% of the control group. Whites accounted for 35.5% of COR completers and 31.8% of the control group.
And Hispanics made up 10.9% of the COR completers and 12.5% of the control group.

Rhode Island Department of
Corrections

2004

Felons

3, 324 released Felons

None

Reconviction within 2 years of release from
prison

46%

Those released from Home Confinement had lower recidivism rates than those released from secure facilities. Those in substance abuse
treatment programs had about a 23% recidivism rate, lower than those with abuse issues who did not complete treatment

South Carolina Department of
Corrections

2003

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

32.7%

Those on probation had highest recidivism rate at 43.7% Under 25 had the highest age group recidivism rate at 44.2%, some work programs
had a minimal impact on recidivism, with the best program being Labor Crew with a rate of 27.2%

South Carolina Department of
Corrections

2007

Sex Offenders

300 sex offenders released in 2001

None

Rearrested and reconvicted within 3 years

43% rearrested for any type of crime, 22.3% reconvicted and
reincarcerated

From the number of sex offenders released from prison in 2001, blacks made up 50% of those rearrested within 3 years, white 37.3%, and 25%
other racial/ethnic groups. Young offenders between the ages of 18-29 were more likely to reoffend within 3 years

Corrections Commission

2006

Juveniles

Juveniles in Adult Corrections

STAR Academy Program

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

14.4%

Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation Crime Statistics
Unit

2007

Felons

557 sex offenders; 559 comparison
group

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

Sex Offenders: 55.9%, Other Offenders (comparison group): 77.8%

Of general offenders, the most frequent recommitment was for a technical violation (18.2%); No statistically significant differences between race
of recidivists.

Texas Legislative Budget Board

2005

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction within 3 years of release from
prison

28.3%

48% of recidivists were African American, property and drug offenses make up over 60% combined of recidivist crimes, annually parole violators
make up 25% of prison admissions.

Texas Legislative Budget Board

2005

Juveniles

Juveniles

None

Reincarceration for any offense in 3 year period
52.2%
of release

Utah Department of Corrections

1995

Felons

Felons

Project Horizon Educational
Program

Parole violation or reincarceration within 2 years
Participants had recidivism rate of 65%, non-participants 82%
and 7 months

Vermont Department of
Corrections

2007

Felons

Felons

None

Offense occurring within 3 year period of
release

50%

Vermont Department of
Corrections

2008

Felons

Felons

None

Offense occurring within 3 year period of
release

50% for persons released in 2004 and 60% for persons released in 1994

Virginia Juvenile Justice

2005

Juveniles

Juveniles

None

Rearrest, Reconviction, and reincarceration
after 12 months of release

Releases from juvenile correction centers: 49.4% rearrested, 37.6%
reconvicted, and 17.2% reincarcerated. Probation placements: 34.8%
rearrested and 24.8% reconvicted; reincarceration data not applicable

Black juveniles had higher reoffense rates than white juveniles, those who were released at age 15 had highest rearrest rates, those who
participated youth industries program and Virginia Wilderness Institute had lower recidivism rates than those who did not

Virginia Department of
Corrections

2005

Adult

8,997 offenders released in 1999

None

Returned to prison for a new crime or technical
parole violation within 3 years of release

29% (28% for technical violations and 72% for a new offense)

The total recidivism rate was higher in the first two years of being released (2000 & 2001); 29% of those who recidivated came back in 2000
and 26% came back in 2001; 72% of persons were returned for the same type of crime for which they were originally incarcerated

Sentencing Guidelines
Commission

2004

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction, length of time not factored into
study

65% of males, 50% of females

54.6% of those 15-24 recidivated and 65.6% of those 25-34; 73% of African American men recidivated compared to 65% of Caucasian men and
51% of Hispanic men. Property and drug offenses were the most common re-offense type.

Sentencing Guidelines
Commission

2005

Juveniles

13,127 juveniles

None

Any disposition (sentence) in which the
offender's juvenile history contains a disposition
(sentence); length of time between convictions
77% rate for boys and 72% rate for girls
not factored into report because database used
does not contain data relating to dates of
release from confinement

African Americans accounted for 3.9% of the Washington population, but accounted for 13.1% of all juvenile dispositions and had a recidivism
rate of 78.1%. Recidivism rate of Hispanics, 82.3%, was highest of all racial groups with Caucasian rate at 75.1% and Asian/Pacific Islanders at
65.1%

West Virginia Division of
Corrections

2007

Felons

1, 254 Felons released in 2003

None

Return to the custody of the Division of
Corrections within a measured amount of time
after release; within 3 years for this study

26.4%

Those on parole release (37%) had higher recidivism rates than those discharged (9.5%) or released by court order (26.1%); 25-29 year olds
had the highest rate of recidivism by age group followed by 18-24 year olds.

Wisconsin Sentencing
Commission

2006

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction in a 23 year period

36% between 1980-2003

American Indians most likely to recidivate (45%) followed by black (43%), Hispanic (37%), white (33%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (24%)
offenders. American Indian and black offenders made up 3% and 22% of the offender group, but recidivate at the highest rates.

Wyoming Corrections
Department

2006

Felons

Felons

None

Convicted by the courts and sentenced on more
36%
than one occasion

Wyoming Corrections
Department

2009

Felons

Felons

None

Reconviction or revocation within 3 years of
release from prison or supervision

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oregon

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Texas

12% recidivated more than once (returning to prison repeatedly), compared to 31.5% of control group recidivating more than once.

Utah

Vermont

Vermont

Virginia

Virginia

Washington

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Wyoming

Research support for this database was conducted by Laura Brinkman, Ajima Olaghere, and Sarah Schirmer.

Released from prison: 10.3%; released from probation: 44.6% and
parole: 33.1%