NCJ Number
62620
Date Published
1978
Length
26 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ARE REPORTED ON ESCAPES AND ESCAPEES FROM THE VIRGINIA CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1978.
Abstract
THE DATA WERE OBAINED FROM THE FELON FILES MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, DIVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES, CLASSIFICATION AND RECORDS UNIT. THERE WERE 80 FELON ESCAPES IN THE YEAR, A DECREASE OF 14.9 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. A TOTAL OF 63.7 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES WERE WHITE MALES AND 31.3 PERCENT WERE NONWHITE MALES. THERE WERE TWO WHITE AND TWO NONWHITE FEMALE ESCAPEES. THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ESCAPES OCCURRED DURING JUNE, REVERSING THE TREND FOR THE LAST 6 FISCAL YEARS WHEN AUGUST WAS THE MONTH CHARACTERIZED BY THE MOST ESCAPES. A TOTAL OF 41.3 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES WERE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AND 26.2 PERCENT WERE SERVING SENTENCES BETWEEN 6 AND 10 YEARS. ABOUT 41 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPES OCCURRED BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND YEARS OF CONFINEMENT AND 82.5 PERCENT OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF CONFINEMENT. AT THE TIME OF ESCAPE, 62.5 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES HAD LESS THAN 4 YEARS REMAINING TO SERVE. PRIOR MISDEMEANANT SENTENCES HAD BEEN SERVED BY 42.5 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES. ESCAPEES WITH A HISTORY OF ONE OR MORE ESCAPES CONSTITUTED 23.8 PERCENT OF ALL ESCAPES. THE MAJORITY OF ESCAPEES WERE CAPTURED WITHIN 29 DAYS, 46.3 PERCENT BEING CAUGHT WITHIN 24 HOURS. AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 25 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES REMAINED AT LARGE. OTHER STATISTICS REPORTED ARE ESCAPEES' AGE, PREVIOUS RECORD, OFFENSE, MARITAL STATUS, MILITARY SERVICE AND RECORDS, CUSTODY STATUS, EDUCATION AND INTELLIGENCE, INSTITUTION, CRIMES COMMITTED WHILE AT LARGE, STATUS OF PARENTS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND EMPLOYMENT HISTORY. FELON ESCAPES ARE COMPARED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)