This information is forwarded by Virginia CURE
(Please send email to Virginia CURE if you wish to be removed from this list.)
Thanks for Barbara for sharing this article.


More Inmates Getting Arrested Again
Sun Jun 2, 8:55 PM ET

By GENARO C. ARMAS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - More former state inmates are getting arrested again after being released from prison than a decade ago, the Justice Department (news <http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22Justice%20Department%22&amp;c=&amp;n=20&amp;yn=c&amp;c=n ews&amp;cs=nw> - web sites <http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/U_S__Government/Executive_Branch/Departments_and_Agencies/Department_of_Justice__DOJ_/> ) reported Sunday.

Convicted car thieves and burglars were more likely to be rearrested than those who had served time for murder or sexual assault, a department study found. Younger people and those with longer criminal records also were more likely to be arrested again.

Overall, more than 67 percent of former inmates released from state prison in 1994 were arrested again within three years, up from more than 62 percent in 1983, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported.

The data, the latest available, stirred more debate over the nation's criminal justice system.

"Many states are being pressured to relax or abandon their habitual criminal sentencing laws," said Michael Rushford, president of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, a pro-law enforcement organization in Sacramento, Calif. "This report shows that would be exactly the wrong approach."

But Vincent Schiraldi, president of the Justice Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, said the figures show that emphasis should shift from the tougher sentencing rules enacted during the 1990s to rehabilitation programs.

In the 1980s, prisons "were at least attempting to turn these guys' lives around," Schiraldi said. "They've stopped attempting to do that and we are suffering for it now."

The three-year study followed 272,211 former inmates released from prisons in 15 states in 1994. The highest rearrest rates were among those who had been incarcerated for stealing cars (79 percent), possessing or stealing other stolen property (77 percent) and larceny (75 percent).

Those with the lowest rearrest rates were people who had been in prison for homicide (41 percent), sexual assault (41 percent) and rape (46 percent).

Other findings:

_Within three years, 52 percent of the prisoners released in 1994 were back in prison, serving time for a new sentence or because of a parole violation for their earlier release.

_Men were more likely to be rearrested than women, 68 percent to 58 percent. Blacks were more likely to be arrested again than whites (73 percent to 63 percent).

_Among prisoners with one arrest prior to their release, 41 percent were rearrested. Among those with more than 15 prior arrests, 82 percent were rearrested in a three-year period.

The study followed prisoners released from: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Virginia.

___

On the Net:

Bureau of Justice Statistics: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

let's just pray that this changes and that more inmates stay out of trouble..

if they want recidivism rates to decrease there has to be therapeutic things done, not punitive, and there has to be better transitional and discharge planning from prison back to community

I agree Sherri

Therapeutic, punitive and discharge planning would make for a working system that would keep a whole bunch from returning too the system.

I would think, being releasted today, after being down for years, would be like traveling across country without a road map. If you don't ask questions to get answers, you might never get to the other end or end up, back where you started (prison).

I agree Sherri, they should put more efforts in getting inmates prepared on their release and helping them out to get their live straight once they get out

ditto, sherri.....unfortunately, i don't think people GET that concept! warehousing people does not work!

Sherri said it right, but the DOC doesn't look at it that way.

Stephen told me that alot of the guys inside who have been in 2 and 3 times have said it is easier to just to deal with the life inside than it is to have alife outside.....I find this so sad..they should help develop these guys skills and interests so they can be ready for the world!!

Sad to say, but I know a few that have did their time, got there life together, learned a trade then got out and tried to get a good job..and were denied just because they were labeled a "felon" To me that'd have to be pretty discouraging!

The whole system needs to be overhauled. I know the Federal system has had their prison population explode since they started the mandatory sentencing. The goal shouldn't be to get more people in prison, but to have better programs and alternatives to keep people OUT, especially once they've served their terms. Right now, any felony conviction is a LIFE term because of the punishments you still face after your release. That needs to change, too. How do you expect a person to return to society and be productive if you handicap them w/ the felon tag for the rest of their lives???

Sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. I just have very strong opinions on this "justice" system.

Colleen

WE ALL KNOW THAT THESE THINGS NEED TO BE DONE.... BUT, HOW DO WE GET IT DONE? HOW DO WE MANAGE TO GET SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO US AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING EXPECIALLY NOW WITH ALL THE STATE BUDGET CUTS ALONG WITH FEDERAL... THERE IS NO MONEY TO FUND THE PROGRAMS ALL READY IN PLACE MUST LESS THE NEW ONES. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH MONEY HERE IN NC TO DO A PROPER JOB OF EDUCATIONS... THEY CERTAINLY ARE NOT GOING TO TRY TO REHABILITATE INMATES... THEY WANT THEM TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE.


DONNA