A Quantitative Analysis of Factors Related to Recidivism

Abstract

The purpose of this study is a determination of whether percentage of time served of a prison sentence affects the rate of recidivism for offenders released from prison. A quantitative analysis was done of known factors that affect recidivism. The sample utilized for this study comes from a data set collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 1994. Correlations, simple regressions, and hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine whether percent of time served can predict the number of rearrests, the number of reconvictions, and the number of resentences to prison for offenders. Results of this study suggest that the percent of sentence served is not statistically significant in predicting recidivism. The results also suggest that longer sentences are associated with higher rates of recidivism, and that the use of incarceration as an instrument of deterrence may not be effective and somewhat criminogenic in nature.