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State of Recidivism: the Revolving Door of America's Prisons

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State of Recidivism: the Revolving Door of America's Prisons State of Recidivism The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons PEW CENTER ON THE STATES PUBLIC SAFETY PERFORMANCE PROJECT APRIL 2011 APRIL 2011 The Pew Center on the States is a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts that identifies and advances effective solutions to critical issues facing states. Pew is a nonprofit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. PEW CENTER ON THE STATES Susan K. Urahn, managing director Public Safety Performance Project Brian Elderbroom, senior associate Adam Gelb, director Samantha Harvell, senior associate Jennifer Laudano, senior officer Jason Newman, senior associate Alexis Schuler, senior officer Robin Olsen, senior associate Courtney Dozier, officer Rolanda Rascoe, senior associate Jake Horowitz, project manager Corinne Mills, associate Richard Jerome, project manager Mary Tanner Noel, administrative assistant Ryan King, project manager Gita Ram, administrative assistant ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the survey respondents from departments of corrections in all responding states, and our survey and data partners at the Association of State Correctional Administrators: George Camp and Camille Camp, co-executive directors; Patricia Hardyman, senior associate, Camelia Graham, statistician and Fred Levesque, consultant. We also greatly appreciate the contributions of Jenifer Warren, John Prevost of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, James F. Austin of the JFA Institute, Michael Connelly of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Tony Fabelo of the Council of State Governments Justice Center and Howard Snyder of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. We also thank Pew colleagues Nancy Augustine, Michael Caudell-Feagan, Lynette Clemetson, Kil Huh, Jennifer Peltak, Evan Potler, Joan Riggs, Aidan Russell, Carla Uriona, Gaye Williams and Denise Wilson. Suggested Citation: Pew Center on the States, State of Recidivism: The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons (Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts, April 2011). For additional information, visit www.pewcenteronthestates.org. This report is intended for educational and informational purposes. References to specific policy makers or companies have been included solely to advance these purposes and do not constitute an endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by The Pew Charitable Trusts. ©2011 The Pew Charitable Trusts. All Rights Reserved. 901 E Street NW, 10th Floor 2005 Market Street, Suite 1700 Washington, DC 20004 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Contents Executive Summary ......................................... 1 Introduction ................................................ 5 Recidivism as a Performance Measure ........................... 6 Overview of the Study ....................................... 7 Sidebar: What Is the Recidivism Rate? ......................... 7 A Closer Look at Recidivism Rates ........................... 9 New Figures Show Steady National Recidivism Rate ................ 9 State Rates Vary Widely ..................................... 12 Sidebar: Comparing State Rates: A Note of Caution ............ 12 How Have Recidivism Rates Changed? ......................... 13 Unpacking the Numbers ................................... 17 How Does Sentencing Policy Impact Recidivism Rates? ............ 17 How Does Community Corrections Policy Impact Recidivism Rates? .. 17 Attacking Recidivism: Examples from Three States ................ 19 Improving Public Safety and Cutting Correctional Costs ...... 25 Reducing Recidivism: Strategies for Success ..................... 26 Sidebar: Resources for Developing Effective Reentry and Supervision Strategies ................................. 27 A Promising Start .......................................... 31 (continued) STATE OF RECIDIVISM: THE REVOLVING DOOR OF AMERICA’S PRISONS iii CONTENTS Exhibits State Prison Releases and Recidivism Rates ...................... 10 The Cycle of Prison Release .................................. 14 The State of Recidivism ..................................... 15 Protecting Public Safety and Cutting Costs ...................... 26 States Providing Data on First Releases versus Data for All Releases .................................. 34 How States Classify the Reasons Offenders Were Returned to Prison .................................... 35 Appendix: Methodology ................................... 33 Differences Between the Pew/ASCA Survey and BJS Research .......................................... 34 Jurisdictional Notes ........................................ 36 Endnotes ................................................. 39 Launched in 2006, the Public Safety Performance Project seeks to help states advance fiscally sound, data-driven policies and practices in sentencing and corrections that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable and control corrections costs. iv PEW CENTER ON THE STATES Executive Summary The dramatic growth of America’s prison One key element of that analysis is population during the past three decades measuring recidivism, or the rate at is by now a familiar story. In 2008, the which offenders return to prison. Prisons, Pew Center on the States reported that of course, are not solely responsible for incarceration levels had risen to a point recidivism results. Parole and probation where one in 100 American adults was agencies, along with social service behind bars. A second Pew study the providers and community organizations, following year added another disturbing play a critical role. dimension to the picture, revealing that one in 31 adults in the United States was either Although preventing offenders from incarcerated or on probation or parole. committing more crimes once released is only one goal of the overall correctional The costs associated with this growth also system, it is a crucial one, both in terms have been well documented. Total state of preventing future victimization and spending on corrections is now about ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent $52 billion, the bulk of which is spent effectively. This report seeks to elevate on prisons. State spending on corrections the public discussion about recidivism, quadrupled during the past two decades, prompting policy makers and the public making it the second fastest growing area to dig more deeply into the factors that of state budgets, trailing only Medicaid. impact rates of return to prison, and into effective strategies for reducing them. While America’s imprisonment boom and its fiscal impacts have been widely debated, the public safety payoff from A Fresh Look at the Numbers our expenditures on incarceration has For years the most widely accepted sources undergone far less scrutiny. Now, however, of national recidivism statistics have as the nation’s slumping economy been two studies produced by the U.S. continues to force states to do more with Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice less, policy makers are asking tougher Statistics (BJS). The most recent of those questions about corrections outcomes. reports, which tracked offenders released STATE OF RECIDIVISM: THE REVOLVING DOOR OF AMERICA’S PRISONS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY from state prison in 1994, concluded that from their prison systems in 1999 and a little more than half of released offenders 2004.This survey differs from the prior (51.8 percent) were back in prison within BJS study in many important ways, three years, either for committing a the most significant of which is that it new crime or for violating rules of their includes recidivism data from more than supervision. Published in 2002, the BJS twice as many states. study followed a sample of offenders from 15 states, and did not provide any state- According to the survey results, 45.4 level recidivism data. percent of people released from prison in 1999 and 43.3 percent of those sent Recognizing the importance of recidivism home in 2004 were reincarcerated within to policy makers seeking better results three years, either for committing a from their correctional systems, Pew, in new crime or for violating conditions collaboration with the Association of State governing their release. While differences Correctional Administrators (ASCA), in survey methods complicate direct undertook a comprehensive survey aimed comparisons of national recidivism rates at producing the first state-by-state look over time, a comparison of the states at recidivism rates. The Pew/ASCA survey included in both the Pew/ASCA and BJS asked states to report three-year return- studies reveals that recidivism rates have to-prison rates for all inmates released been largely stable. When excluding California, whose size skews the national picture, recidivism rates between 1994 Without education, job skills, and and 2007 have consistently remained around 40 percent. “ other basic services, offenders are likely to repeat the same steps that The new figures suggest that despite brought them to jail in the first place … the massive increase in corrections This is a problem that needs to be spending, in many states there has been addressed head-on. We cannot say we are little improvement in the performance doing everything we can to keep our of corrections systems. If more than four communities and our families safe if we out of 10 adult American offenders still return to prison within three years of their are not addressing the high rate at which release, the system designed to deter them offenders are becoming repeat criminals.” from continued criminal behavior clearly Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal
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