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According to the California State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), less than 40 percent of parolees in the state return to prison for subsequent criminal offenses within one year, a phenomenon known as recidivism.  Officials note that the rate of recidivism for California paroles has been in steady decline since its peak in 1988.  

In the late 1980s, the rate of recidivism was 54 percent.  This means that the majority of those released on parole relapsed into criminal behavior or violated parole within one year of their release.  Today, the rate is at approximately 38 percent, far less than previous years.  

Secretary of the CDCR Jeanne Woodford says that while it is still early, “this kind of information shows we are heading in the right direction.”  She adds that a lower rate of recidivism means fewer victims of crimes in our neighborhoods.   The Department’s goal is to further reduce the recidivism rate by another ten percent over the next few years.  

So what measures are responsible for this decline in recidivism?  Officials with the CDCR cite enhanced parole programs, law changes, and local community efforts as major factors contributing to the reduced recidivism rate.  

Officials also report that two-year recidivism rates are also in decline in California and in other states across the nation.  

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