People released in 2008 had a median of nine prior arrests and five prior convictions in their history.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics study consisted of about 73,600 people released from state prisons in 2008 who were randomly selected to represent the approximately 409,300 people released across 24 states in 2008. Excerpts of the study are below.
82% of study participants were arrested at least once during the 10 years following.
66% of study participants were rearrested within 3 years.
90% of study participants, aged 24 or younger at the time of their release, were arrested within the 10 years following.
85% of participants between the ages of 25 to 39 at their release, were arrested within 10 years.
75% of participants who were 40 or older at the time of their release were arrested within 10 years.
81% of participants who served less than the 15-month median were arrested within 10 years of release.
76% of participants who served more than the 15-month median were arrested within 10 years of release.
The annual arrest percentage among study participants decreased from 43% in Year 1 to 22% by Year 10.
Read the whole study here.
Above: A graphic depicting the disparity national recidivism over ten years from state prisons.