RHODE ISLAND - RECIDIVISM AT THE ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 59325
• Author(s): W J FONTAINE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 43 pages
• Corporate Author: Rhode Island Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA ON RECIDIVISM AMONG 283 SENTENCED PERSONS (273 MALES AND 10 FEMALES) RELEASED FROM RHODE ISLAND'S ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION DURING 1973 ARE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED.

Abstract

THE REPORT CONSISTS OF 18 TABLES SHOWING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RECIDIVISM AND SUCH VARIABLES AS OFFENDER AGE, RACE, OFFENSE, LENGTH OF SENTENCE, AND TYPE OF RELEASE; ACCOMPANYING NARRATIVE INTERPRETATIONS; AND A SUMMARY OF FINDINGS. RECIDIVISM IS DEFINED IN TWO WAYS. THE TOTAL RECIDIVISM RATE IS THE PERCENTAGE OF INMATES RELEASED WHO WITHIN 3 YEARS HAD CONVICTIONS RESULTING EITHER IN SENTENCES TO THE PRISON, IN SUSPENDED OR DEFERRED SENTENCES, OR IN PROBATION. OFFENSES RESULTING IN FINES ARE NOT INCLUDED. REVOCATIONS OF PAROLE THAT DID NOT RESULT IN REINCARCERATION ARE INCLUDED. THE JAIL OR PRISON RECIDIVISM RATE IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS RELEASED WHO WITHIN 3 YEARS RETURNED TO JAIL OR PRISON, EITHER ON A NEW SENTENCE OR ON A PAROLE VIOLATION. THE TOTAL RECIDIVISM RATE WAS 54.4 PERCENT; THE JAIL-PRISON RATE, 44.2 PERCENT. THE JAIL-PRISON RATE WAS HIGHER FOR BLACKS THAN FOR WHITES, ALTHOUGH TOTAL RATES WERE SIMILAR FOR BOTH GROUPS. THE JAIL-PRISON RATE FOR PERSONS WHO HAD BEEN SERVING A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT SENTENCE WAS 46.7 PERCENT, COMPARED TO 41.9 PERCENT FOR PERSONS SERVING THEIR FIRST SENTENCE. RECIDIVISM VARIED CONSIDERABLY WITH TYPE OF OFFENSE (51.4 PERCENT FOR PROPERTY OFFENSES, 38.8 PERCENT FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS). BREAKING AND ENTERING WAS THE MOST COMMON OFFENSE AMONG RECIDIVISTS. FOR 125 JAIL-PRISON RECIDIVISTS, THE ORIGINAL OFFENSE DIFFERED SOMEWHAT FROM THE SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE. THE LATTER WAS LIKELY TO CARRY A LONGER SENTENCE. RECIDIVISM RATES WERE HIGHER AMONG YOUNGER INMATES, AS WAS THE MEDIAN TIME BETWEEN RELEASE AND RECOMMITTAL. THERE WAS SOME VARIATION IN RECIDIVISM RATE AMONG MODES OF RELEASE. MUCH OF THE RECIDIVISM OCCURRED QUITE SOON AFTER RELEASE, WITH 62.4 PERCENT OF ALL JAIL-PRISON RECIDIVISTS RETURNING IN THE FIRST YEAR. RECIDIVISM TENDED TO INCREASE WITH INCREASING LENGTH OF SENTENCE. SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN RECIDIVISM, PARTICULARLY JAIL-PRISON RECIDIVISM, OCCURRED BETWEEN 1971 AND 1973. (LKM)