The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
(CDCR) recently published two annual recidivism reports that both
show improvements in return rates to prison. The
2016 Outcome Evaluation Report examined the recidivism of
people released from state prison between July 1, 2011, and June
30, 2012, and the
2017 Outcome Evaluation Report studied recidivism of people
released in July 1, 2012- June 30, 2013.
The 2016 and 2017 Outcome Evaluation reports examine
offender demographics and characteristics including age, gender,
ethnicity, offense, county of release, type of sentence, sex
registration status, serious and violent offenders, prior
incarcerations, mental health status and risk for reconviction.
Among the reports’ findings: men comprised more than 90 percent
of both release cohorts with a three-year conviction rate for
2011-2012 at 55 percent and 46.8 percent for 2012-2013; the
2011-2012 three-year conviction rate for women is 46.8 percent
and 37.6 percent for 2012-2013; and the conviction rates of
people who received in-prison substance abuse treatment and
completed community-based substance abuse treatment programs are
lower. Those released in 2011-2012 have a three-year conviction
rate of 36.7 percent and those released in 2012-2013 have a
three-year conviction rate of 29.2 percent.
