How often do people released from prison reoffend?

• Recidivism Rates Measure How Often People Reoffend. To measure recidivism for people released from state prison, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) monitors the number of people arrested, convicted of new crimes, and returned to state prison within three years of their release. In 2024, CDCR published the recidivism rates for people released in 2018-19 shown above.

• Rates Lower Than in Recent Years. According to CDCR this is potentially due to pandemic-related factors. For example, the temporary closure of the courts and suspension of prison intake during the pandemic could have resulted in fewer people being convicted of new crimes or returned to prison. Compared to people released in 2016-17—whose three-year follow-up period did not include the pandemic—rates for those released in 2018-19 were 3 percent lower for arrests, 12 percent lower for convictions, and 29 percent lower for returns to state prison.

• California Rates Appear Largely Similar to Many Other States. It is difficult to compare California to other states due to differences in law, such as who is eligible for prison. For example, people in California can generally only be returned to state prison following their release if they commit a new felony. In some states, people can be returned to prison for lesser offenses, such as violating rules set by courts, probation, or parole. However, a 2021 study of recidivism in different states from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics suggests California’s recidivism rates could be largely similar to many other states’. For example, the study found that within three years of people’s release from state prisons in 2012:

  • 62 percent were arrested (based on data from 34 states).

  • 45 percent received new convictions (based on data from 31 states).

  • 39 percent were returned to prison (based on data from 21 states).

Last Updated: January 2025