Recidivism of sex offenders released in 1994,

Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released from Prison in 1994, November 2003, NCJ 198281

Introduction
In 1994, prisons in 15 States released 9,691 male sex offenders. The 9,691 men are two-thirds of all the male sex offenders released from State prisons in the United States in 1994. This report summarizes findings from a survey that tracked the 9,691 for 3 full years after their release. The report documents their "recidivism," as measured by rates of rearrest, reconviction, and reimprisonment during the 3-year followup period.

This report gives recidivism rates for the 9,691 combined total. It also separates the 9,691 into four overlapping categories and gives recidivism rates for each category:

-- 3,115 released rapists

-- 6,576 released sexual assaulters

-- 4,295 released child molesters

-- 443 released statutory rapists.

The 9,691 sex offenders were released from State prisons in these 15 States: Arizona, Maryland, North Carolina, California, Michigan, Ohio, Delaware, Minnesota, Oregon, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Virginia.

Quote from Study pg-1: "Compared to non-sex offenders released from State prisons, released sex offenders were 4 times more likely to be rearrested for a sex crime. Within the first 3 years following their release from prison in 1994, 5.3% (517 of the 9,691) of released sex offenders were rearrested for a sex crime. The rate for the 262,420 released non-sex offenders was lower, 1.3% (3,328 of 262,420)".

From that statement the following chart was constructed:


Click on Pic for Details

Source: Bureau of Justice:
Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released from Prison in 1994 by by Patrick A. Langan, Ph.D. -and- Erica L. Schmitt -and- Matthew R. Durose, Statisticians, Bureau of Justice Statistics

Page 24 of the above study: "How many sex crimes were committed by non sex offenders released." It states (also see chart above constructed from these facts):

Sex offenders compared to non-sex offenders

The 15 States in this study released a total of 272,111 prisoners in 1994. The 9,691 released sex offenders made up less than 4% of that total. Of the remaining 262,420 non-sex offenders, 3,328 (1.3%) were rearrested for a new sex crime within 3 years. By comparison, the 5.3% rearrest rate for the 9,691 released sex offenders was 4 times higher.

Assuming that the 517 sex offenders who were rearrested for another sex crime each victimized no more than one victim, the number of sex crimes they committed after their prison release totaled 517. Assuming that the 3,328 non-sex offenders rearrested for a sex crime after their release also victimized one victim each, the number of sex crimes they committed was 3,328. The combined total number of sex crimes is 3,845 (517 plus 3,328 = 3,845). Released sex offenders accounted for 13% and released non-sex offenders accounted for 87% of the 3,845 sex crimes committed by all the prisoners released in 1994 (517 / 3,845 = 13% and 3,328 / 3,845 = 87%).