The sample represented 11,347 persons in the focal age group paroled in the 22 States in 1978. The recidivism measures were rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration. Individual parole records were linked with records of arrest and prosecution collected by the FBI. The study examined the relationship between recidivism rates and a variety of factors, including the age and prior arrest record of the parolees, the length of time each parolee had spent in prison, and the nature and location of the rearrest charges. Sixty-nine percent of the parolees were rearrested for a serious crime within 6 years of their release. Fifty-three percent were convicted for a new offense, and 49 percent returned to prison. Approximately 10 percent of the parolees accounted for 40 percent of the subsequent arrest offenses, and about 20 percent of the arrests occurred in states other than the paroling state. Recidivism rates were highest in the first 2 years after release and among men, blacks, and persons who were not high school graduates. The time served in prison had no consistent impact on recidivism rates. The earlier the parolee's first adult arrest, the more likely the probability of rearrest. The appendix compares the findings with similar studies. 10 tables and 7 references.
Recidivism of Young Parolees
NCJ Number
104916
Date Published
1987
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study traced the recidivism of a sample of 3,995 parolees aged 17-22 over 6 years in 22 states.
Abstract