Q&A of the Day – Florida Recidivism Rates
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
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Today’s Entry: I’d like to hear what you have to say about this: (Florida recidivism rate study). Thanks for the consideration.
Bottom Line: Today’s note included a link to a recent study by the Florida Policy Project entitled: Improving Reentry in Florida. The reentry being discussed in the study is Florida’s exiting prison population and the reason the study’s title is about improving it is due to an apparent need to do so. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s annual Uniform Crime Report, crime in Florida is at a 50-year low most recently. That includes a total crime rate that dropped statewide by an impressive 9.5% year-over-year. That follows an 8% decline in crime in the prior year and a 14% decline the year before. Florida’s crime rate has declined every year since 2008, which isn’t just an extraordinarily impressive achievement which has culminated in a 50-year low in crime most recently, but that also transcends what we’ve seen in large states and in large cities elsewhere. But as for the people who have been committing crimes in Florida based on the Florida Policy Project results...they’ve commonly been those most familiar with the criminal justice system and most specifically the inside of a Florida jail cell.
The study’s results looked at Florida’s recidivism rates from 2013 through 2018. What they found was that as recently as 2018 the rearrest rates for those released from Florida’s prisons looked like this:
- Within 1 year: 39%
- Within 2 years: 54%
- Within 3 years: 61%
The bottom line was that most of Florida’s criminals that’d had served time turned right back around to committing crimes given the opportunity. Keep in mind these were also only those who’d be detained once again – meaning the actual rates are likely somewhat higher. On the back of those findings the FPP offered up these takeaways...
- In 2022, Florida released just over 24,000 people.
- More than 90% of the 82,000 people incarcerated in Florida prisons will eventually return to our communities.
- Over 60% of people released from Florida prisons will be rearrested within 3 years of release.
- 20-25% of people released in any given year will be reincarcerated in Florida within three years of release.
And those results led to what they call six “evidence-based” practices that they say legislators should focus on:
- Employment related programs are associated with reductions in recidivism from 13-55% and can save taxpayers as much as $17 for every $1 spent on the programs.
- Education programming can reduce recidivism upon release by up to 13% and every dollar spent can save taxpayers $5 to $12.
- Substance abuse treatment can reduce recidivism by as much as 10% and may save $5 in taxes for every $1 spent on treatment.
- Mental health programming can reduce recidivism by 40- 50% for people in need of treatment and may save $2-$6 for each $1 spent.
- Staying connected with friends and family through visitation may reduce recidivism by as much as 13%.
- Transitional services that continue to provide programming into the community may reduce recidivism by as much as 9%.
It’s safe to say we’d all prefer less crime in our communities and that most of us would love to see those who’ve served their time have a successful second chance in life. For that reason, there may be merit to the prescriptives that are suggested. Especially the first recommendation that theoretically would come with the highest taxpayer ROI and that’s also entirely logical. Job placement upon leaving prison. Florida’s extremely tight labor market with historically low unemployment rates and record opportunities would seemingly be especially supportive of maximizing those efforts right now. In fact, the state’s recently enacted illegal immigration law, which mandates E-Verify for employers with 25 or more employees would appear to present a great opportunity for work-release opportunities. While there still hasn’t been any tangible evidence of the impact on businesses and consumers that the fear mongers suggested would be the case leading up to it...if in fact there are fewer illegal immigrants working in Florida, and potentially new employment gaps resulting...that would seem to be a great fit. With that said there’s also another reality to be taken into account.
The reality is that there’s a certain percentage of people who won’t do the right thing given the chance regardless. It’s unknown what percentage of the incarcerated population that happens to be but that’s an immovable fact that is seemingly overlooked by most studies I’ve ever reviewed on this topic. With Florida’s crime rate already at a 50-year low and thus a smaller percentage of the population ending up being incarcerated, it could be that most of those who are reachable and are reformable already are. It’s one of those questions that wouldn’t be quantified for many years if the suggested programs in the study were adopted.