SINCE 1978 THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS GATHERED DATA ON 1,584 RECIDIVISTS THAT HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHAT TYPE OF OFFENDER IS MOST LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE. GENERAL STATISTICS AND INFORMATION ARE GROUPED BY MAJOR OFFENSE CATEGORY AND INCLUDE BREAKDOWNS BY RACE AND SEX; MARITAL STATUS AT THE TIME OF INCARCERATION; URBAN OR RURAL BACKGROUND; EMPLOYMENT STATUS AT ARREST; AVERAGE READING, WRITING, AND ARITHMETIC SCORES; SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY; AGE WHEN CURRENT SENTENCE BEGAN; AND PRESENT AGE. THE OFFENSE CATEGORY OF BURGLARY HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF OFFENDERS WHO WERE RECIDIVISTS IN PROPORTION TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BURGLARS HAVING MOVED THROUGH THE SYSTEM; 976 OF THE TOTAL 1,534 BURGLARS HAD A PRIOR ADULT CONFINEMENT. EMBEZZLEMENT, FORGERY, MURDER, AND LARCENY WERE CRIMES WITH THE NEXT LARGEST NUMBER OF RECIDIVISTS, 26 PERCENT, 24 PERCENT, 22 PERCENT, AND 21 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. THIS ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE OFFENDER WHO MOST OFTEN RECIDIVATES IS BLACK, MARRIED, COMES FROM AN URBAN BACKGROUND, WAS EMPLOYED FULL TIME AT ARREST, FUNCTIONS AT ABOUT THE SIXTH GRADE LEVEL, USES ALCOHOL, IS OF NORMAL INTELLIGENCE, AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 29 YEARS OLD WHEN HIS CURRENT SENTENCE BEGAN. TABULAR DATA PROVIDE THE BULK OF THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM).