Recidivism

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 67.8% of released state prisoners were arrested for a new crime within three years, and 76.7% were arrested within five years (Durose, Cooper, & Snyder, 2014). Reducing recidivism not only protects society at large, but also improves the life quality of individual ex-prisoners.

Incarceration rates in the U.S. began increasing dramatically in the 1990s. The U.S. has the highest prison population of any country, comprising 25% of the world’s prisoners.

Out of a sample of 401,288 prisoners state prisoners released in 2005:

• 68% of released prisoners were arrested within 3 years.
• 79% of released prisoners were arrested within 6 years.
• 83% of released prisoners were arrested within 9 years.

Using this study as a basepoint, one could state that the national recidivism rate is 83%.

Unemployment and Poverty

Employment has long been recognized as having a negative correlation with crime (Uggen, 1999; Uggen et al., 2005).

Researchers also have found that employment is associated with reduced recidivism(Skardhamar & Telle, 2012). The strongest predictor for recidivism: poverty + unemployment.