NCJ Number
63099
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE PRESENTED FROM A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF A SAMPLE OF 1,358 MALES WHO ENTERED ILLINOIS PRISONS FROM 1963 TO 1965 AND PRESENTS SELECTED WISCONSIN RECIDIVISM STATISTICS.
Abstract
RESULTS SUPPORT THE GLASER FINDING THAT THE LONGITUDINAL RECIDIVISM RATE IS CLOSER TO ONE-THIRD (38 PERCENT IN ILLINOIS AND 39 PERCENT IN WISCONSIN) THAN TO THE FREQUENTLY CITED TWO-THIRDS RATE WHEN RECIDIVISM IS MEASURED OVER THE CONVENTIONAL 3-YEAR FOLLOWUP PERIO. ALSO SUPPORTED IS THE GLASER FINDING THAT CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY YIELDS A TWO-THIRDS RECIDIVISM RATE (72 PERCENT IN ILLINOIS). INCOMPLETE ILLINOIS DATA SHOWED THE RECIDIVISM RATE INCREASING FROM 38 PERCENT AFTER 3 YEARS TO ALMOST 50 PERCENT AFTER 6 YEARS, SUPPORTING THE KITCHENER, SCHMIDT, AND GLASER FINDING THAT THE RECIDIVISM RATE DOES NOT BECOME STABLE AFTER 3 YEARS, BUT CONTINUES TO RISE FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS. ILLINOIS RESULTS EXTEND THE FINDING THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY PREDICTS RECIDIVISM. THE TRADITIONAL BELIEF THAT ADULT OFFENDERS WERE JUVENILE OFFENDERS IS NOT SUPPORTED (ONLY 27 PERCENT IN ILLINOIS HAD A JUVENILE OFFENSE HISTORY). RESULTS SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS: (1) THE LONGITUDINAL/CROSS-SECTIONAL DISTINCTION IN MEASURING RECIDIVISM RATES IS RELEVANT TO CORRECTIONS FOR POLICY AND PLANNING PURPOSES; (2) THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH OF THE FOLLOWUP PERIOD FOR DETERMINING RECIDIVISM SHOULD BE REEXAMINED; (3) RECIDIVISM RATES ARE SENSITIVE TO MEASURES OF PRIOR CRIMINALITY WHILE BEING INSENSITIVE TO OFFENDER PROGRAM DIFFERENCES; AND (4) RECIDIVISM RATES FOR DIFFERENT PRISON SYSTEMS APPEAR TO BE A REFLECTION OF THE TYPES OF OFFENDERS SELECTED FOR IMPRISONMENT RATHER THAN THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS OFFERED. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)