NCJ Number
118283
Date Published
1989
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This review of recidivism rates in Maryland includes a discussion of specific programs and a progress report on the development of alternative measures of program effectiveness.
Abstract
The 3-year recidivism rate for inmates released in fiscal year 1984 is 47.6 percent, including 18.2 percent returned to the Division of Correction and 29.4 percent returned to probation. Overall return rates range from a low of 20 percent for inmates released by commutation to a high of 55 percent for inmates released mandatorily. Parolees had substantially lower recidivism rates (34.4 percent) than that for the overall offender population. Participants in high school equivalency and vocational education programs had higher recidivism rates than those in college programs, according to a pilot study that gathered data manually and did not include a control group. Alternate measures of program effectiveness are being examined, because recidivism rates are only one element in an evaluation of program effectiveness. State Use Industries has successfully carried out a post-release followup that provided encouragement regarding the ability of ex-offenders to obtain employment at wages substantially above the minimum wage. Measures of the effectiveness of educational programs are also being examined. Data tables and appended standards for adult and juvenile correctional education programs and a list of survey variables.