MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT - MISSISSIPPI AVERAGE RECIDIVISM RATES - FIVE COHORTS

• NCJ Number: 68576
• Author(s): S K C MARTIN
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Mississippi Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RECIDIVISM IN MISSISSIPI IS ANALYZED ON THE BASIS OF A PRECISE DEFINITION OF WHAT THE CONCEPT OF RECIDIVISM INVOLVES AND A REVIEW OF THE METHODOLOGY USED FOR DETERMINING ITS RATES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

Abstract

THIS BRIEF STUDY, PREPARED BY THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT SECTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF LACK OF UNIFORMITY AMONG THE STATES IN DEFINING RECIDIVISM OR IN DETERMINING ITS RATES, A FACTOR WHICH HINDERS COMPARATIVE PROGRAMATIC EVALUATION OF THE PHENOMENON AND MAKES NATIONWIDE STATISTICAL ANALYSES IMPOSSIBLE. SPECIFICALLY INTENDED FOR USE BY THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFERENCE SERVICE, THIS DOCUMENT'S STATED OBJECTIVES ARE TO GIVE THE MISSISSIPPI DEFINITION OF RECIDIVISM AND THE REASONS WHY IT WAS ADOPTED; TO REVIEW THE METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING RECIDIVISM RATES; AND TO PRESENT CURRENT RESULTS. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A RATIO AND A RATE IS EXPLAINED, AS WELL AS THE CONCEPT OF THE FIVE TRACKED COHORTS (AT 3 MONTHS, 6 MONTHS, 1 YEAR, 2 YEAR, AND 3 YEAR INTERVALS), WHICH CAN BE AVERAGED TOGETHER TO GIVE A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE ACTUAL RECIDIVISM RATE. A TABLE OF RECIDIVISM RATES IS APPENDED.