Once a Criminal Always a Criminal? A 15 Year Analysis of Recidivism Among Female Prisoners in Massachusetts

• In Event: Women and Prisoner Reentry

Abstract

A key objective of America’s criminal justice system is post-incarceration rehabilitation so that offenders can be re-integrated into the community. This 15 year longitudinal study of 816 women released from a state prison finds that current re-integration policies for female ex-offenders have achieved only limited success. Over half of the women were returned to prison at least once between 1995 and 2010. Factors including age, criminal history and level of previous involvement with the criminal justice system were statistically associated with and predictive of recidivism. These findings can be used to design programs that will be more effective in breaking the cycle of re-imprisonment.

Authors

• Maureen Norton-Hawk, Suffolk University

• Mary Ellen Mastrorilli, Boston University

• Nicole Usher, Suffolk University