11.4 percent of offenders returned to state prisons

A newly-released study conducted by the Pew Center on the States found that New Jersey is one of six states – and the only one in the Northeast – that has seen a significant decrease in the number of offenders returning to the state’s prisons.

The study, which the Pew Center conducted with assistance from the Association of the State Correctional Administrators, asked states to report three-year return-to-prison rates, comparing the rates from 1999-2002 to rates from 2004-2007.

In New Jersey, the percentage of offenders returning to prison decreased by 11.4 percent. Five other states – Oregon, Kansas, Utah, Louisiana and Michigan – reported decreases of at least 10 percent. The study revealed a nearly even split between states that had increasing and decreasing rates of recidivism when comparing the 1999 and 2004 releases.

The results were compiled during a time period in which New Jersey had experienced a reduced prison population, yet the release population numbers essentially had remained the same.

State Department of Corrections officials attribute the reduction to a variety of factors, among them diversion programs such as drug and mental health courts, reentry initiatives and day reporting centers.

State departments of corrections were asked to report “return to prison” for two reasons: the commitment of a new crime or a technical violation of supervision. The agencies were asked to provide three-year follow-up rates for a 1999 and a 2004 cohort for comparison purposes.

A total of 41 states participated in the study. Corrections officials believe the data will provide insight to policymakers as they confront tightening state budgets and will allow for an assessment of performance.

-TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM