NCJ Number
132546
Date Published
1991
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This report contains shortened accounts of the design and the findings of a study published in Sweden in 1990 that deals with recidivism among those released from prison in 1986 and one published in 1991 that examines recidivism among those sentenced to probation during 1983.
Abstract
The overall rate of recidivism was 57 percent among the sample of 396 released prisoners in 1986 and 60 percent among the 278 persons sentenced to probation during 1983. Certain categories of released prisoner had markedly higher rates of recidivism. In particular, released prisoners aged 25 or younger and those between 26 and 30 had high relapse rates if they previously had been imprisoned. Among those released from prison who relapsed into crime, 53 percent had committed a new offense within 3 months of release from prison and nearly 75 percent had done so within 6 months of release. Probationers aged 20 or younger had a relapse rate of 74 percent, but probationers aged 31 or older had a lower than average relapse rate. Among those who relapsed into crime, 29 percent had committed a new offense within 3 months of the 1983 sentence to probation and 50 percent had done so within 6 months. Improved supervision strategies should focus on reducing early recidivism, especially among the younger released prisoners and the younger probationers. 14 tables