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Recidivism

In America, issues of race and recidivism have been the focus of academic and practical concern since the post-Emancipation Proclamation days. Recidivism is widely accepted as a term used to define the rates or chances of reoffending after an offender has been released from probation or corrections. The term also denotes the chances or rates of re-arrest during terms of probation, albeit for a new offense or a violation of conditions of supervision.

Research has identified 14 different terms used to define recidivism. Of those, re-arrest, reconviction, and resentencing are the most widely used terms by various departments, agencies, and researchers. Predominate research operationalizes (defines) recidivism as offender re-arrest and recon-victions as a result of secondary data being readily available and nonoffender participation. The amount of time between release from probation, parole, or prison, and reoffense, re-arrest, or re-admittance to prison is used as a standard parameter of recidivism. Most studies utilize a 12- to 36-month window after release to determine recidivism, with 12 months being the most common time of analysis. Given that research has demonstrated that approximately 70% of recidivist actions within the initial 3 years occur in the first 12 months, a majority of studies examine offender recidivism within 1 year of release.

Factors Associated with Recidivism

Recidivism research has established a set of recidivism predictor variables by examining offenders after being released from prison, probation or while an offender was currently on probation, in addition to extensive research examining offender risk variables. A review of the literature reveals that the offender's criminal history, type of instant offense (property or person crime), unemployment, age, gender, and history of antisocial behavior are significantly correlated with recidivism. Literature also demonstrates that factors related to an offender's lifestyle, such as his or her living situation, degree and type of drug use, criminogenic needs and criminal associates, are associated with the likelihood of reoffense.

Race and Recidivism

In the initial national recidivism study conducted in 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that 63% of all convicted felons were re-arrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years of being released. Forty-seven percent of all reoffenders were reconvicted of new crimes, and 41% were reincarcerated. The rates of recidivism (i.e., re-arrest, reconvictions, and reincarcerations) were highest among Blacks. Hispanics had a higher rate of recidivism than non-Hispanics.

In 2002 the U.S. Department of Justice again examined the rates of recidivism among released U.S. prisoners. Of 272,111 released offenders, 68% were re-arrested for a new offense within 3 years. Blacks were more likely than Whites to be re-arrested (73% vs. 63%), reconvicted (51% vs. 43%), returned to prison with a new prison sentence (29% vs. 23%), and returned to prison with or without a new prison sentence (54% vs. 50%). Non-Hispanics were more likely than Hispanics to be re-arrested (71% vs. 65%), reconvicted (51% vs. 44%), and returned to prison with or without a new prison sentence (57% vs. 52%). It should be noted that Hispanics (25%) and non-Hispanics (27%) did not significandy differ with regard to being returned to prison with a new prison sentence.

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