Issue Position: Recidivism

Issue Position

According to the National Institute of Justice, Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime. Recidivism is measured by criminal acts that resulted in rearrest, re-conviction or return to prison with or without a new sentence during a three-year period following the prisoner's release.

HIGH COST OF RECIDIVESM & A WAY TO CUT COST

According to the New York Times, cost for corrections have quadrupled in the last 20 years for the states, costing about $52 billion a year nationally -- making prison budgets the second-fastest growing expense after Medicaid in the states.

Source