Incarceration Length and Recidivism

• In Event: Incarceration, Reentry and Recidivism

Abstract

One of the central goals of incarcerating offenders is to reduce their offending. Put differently, we incarcerate to reduce recidivism. From this perspective, longer sentences should reduce recidivism more than shorter ones. However, several studies suggest that shorter prison sentences actually may result in more, not less recidivism. Building on recent studies, we examine the relationship between sentence length and recidivism to determine if the identified relationship in these studies holds using Florida statewide data and how this relationship may vary for certain groups of offenders. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Authors

• Daniel P. Mears, Florida State University

• Joshua Cochran, University of South Florida

• William Bales, Florida State University

• Avinash S. Bhati, Maxarth