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Event- and Offender-Based Recidivism Methodology Using the National Corrections Reporting Program

NCJ Number
250749
Author(s)
William Rhodes; Garald Gaes; Christopher Cutler; Ryan King; Jeremy Luallen; Tom Rich; Michael Shively; Joshua Markman
Date Published
February 2019
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) funded report presents a new methodology using National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) data to produce return-to-prison recidivism estimates.
Abstract
This report presents a new methodology using National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) data to produce return-to-prison recidivism estimates. This offender-based methodology uses longitudinal data to estimate recidivism and produces estimates of offenders released over long periods rather than specific release cohorts. Though each type of recidivism methodology is suited to answer different criminal justice questions, scholars formerly relied on the event-based approach alone. This report discusses how to produce offender-based recidivism estimates and the circumstances in which offender-based estimates are more appropriate, based on the type of policy or research question.