Offenders Returning to Federal Prison, 1986-97   [open pdf - 120KB]

"Between 1986 and 1994, 215,263 offenders were released from Federal prison for the first time. Of those offenders, 16% (or 33,855) returned to Federal prison within 3 years. The proportion of offenders returning to prison increased from 11.4% of those released during 1986 to 18.6% of those released during 1994. Among offenders released between 1986 and 1992, the proportion that returned to Federal prison within 3 years increased from 11.4% to 18.2%; of those released between 1992 and 1994, the proportion increased from 18.2% to 18.6%."