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Washington State Department of Corrections - Recidivism Study Overview

NCJ Number
83838
Date Published
1982
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Over the fiscal year period from 1960 through 1976, 36.2 percent of all releases from Washington State adult correctional facilities returned within 5 years of release.
Abstract
Recidivism is defined as the return to a Washington State adult correctional facility of an offender who had been paroled or discharged from such a facility, the return occurring within 5 years of release as the result of conviction of a new felony or violation of a condition of parole. Rates of return are included for all inmates who were either paroled or discharged from 1960 through 1976. The lowest return rate occurred in 1971, when it fell to 31.9 percent. For releasees who had been imprisoned for person-related crimes, the overall recidivism rate was 29.4 percent. The comparable rate for non-person offenders averaged 38.0 percent. In general, the return rates of non-person offenders during the 1970's were lower than those for the 1960's. Person offenders do not reflect such a long-term trend, but the last several years show a tendency to increasing rates. Three figures and 19 tables are included in the report. (Author summary modified)