Recidivism Rates by Country 2022

Recidivism is defined as the relapse of criminal behavior that results in the re-arrest, reconviction, and/or reimprisonment of an individual. The odds of an individual receding are affected by several factors such as the person’s circumstances before incarceration, their social environment and community, and events during their incarceration. Arguably the most impactful variable of all is the person's ability to reintegrate into society—many newly released former prisoners find it difficult to find work, reconnect with family members, and return to everyday life.

Recidivism affects everyone: the offender, their family, the victim of the crime, law enforcement, and the community overall. Recidivism is an important part of many discussions involving crime rates by country, the harshness of prison sentences, and whether social programs designed to educate and assist instead of punish provide a better long-term solution than do prisons. Societies with high recidivism rates tend to have higher prison populations as a result, which creates a larger tax burden upon the community. Recidivism rates vary significantly around the world, but are reported to be as high as 50% and do not seem to have declined in recent years.

The challenge of measuring recidivism around the world

Attempts to compare recidivism between countries can be quite challenging. Many countries have insufficient data on the subject, and even among those countries that do track it, the definition of recidivism often differs from one nation to the next.

In some countries, only reimprisonment counts as recidivism. Other countries apply the recidivism label earlier in the process, such as when a person is reconvicted or even just re-arrested. Countries also differ in whether or not they count certain low-level offenses such as misdemeanors, fines, or traffic violations.

Additionally, follow-up times—the period after release from incarceration—are often inconsistent between and even within jurisdictions. If one country measures recidivism using a six-month follow-up period, another uses two years, and a third uses five years, the data cannot be accurately compared.

Recidivism rates for 21 countries around the world

In their study A Systematic Review of Criminal Recidivism Rates Worldwide: Current Difficulties and Recommendation for Best Practice published in PLoS-ONE in 2015 (and revisited in 2019), researchers Seena Fazel and Achim Wolf collected recidivism rates from 21 countries, tracking follow-up periods ranging from six months to nine years. Measured recidivism rates tracked included reconviction, reimprisonment, or on rare occasions, re-arrest. The most commonly reported statistics were 2-year reconviction rates. Information for each country studied is provided below. Included are selection period, follow-up period, rate, and whether the information provided is based on re-arrest, reconviction, or reimprisonment. Most countries have multiple data sets, which illustrate the tendency for an individual's chance of recidivism to increase over time.

Australia

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	53%	Reconviction	2014-15
2 years	39%	Reimprisonment	2009-10
2 years	45%	Reimprisonment	2014-15

Austria

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	15%	Reconviction	2013
2 years	26%	Reconviction	2013
3 years	32%	Reconviction	2013
4 years	41%	Reconviction	2013

Canada

Region	Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
Canada	2 years	41%	Reconviction	1994-95
Canada - Ontario	2 years	35%	Reconviction	2014-15
Canada - Quebec	2 years	55%	Reconviction	2007-08
Canada - Quebec	2 years	43%	Reimprisonment	2007-08

Chile

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	39%	Reconviction	2010
3 years	50%	Reimprisonment	2007

Denmark

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	51%	Reconviction	2013
2 years	29%	Reconviction	2005
2 years	63%	Reconviction	2013

Estonia

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	16%	Reconviction	2013-14
2 years	59%	Re-arrest	2013-14
2 years	35%	Reconviction	2013-14
5 years	76%	Re-arrest	2011-12
5 years	58%	Reconviction	2011-12

Finland

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	36%	Reconviction	2005

France

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	26%	Reconviction	2004
2 years	40%	Reconviction	2004
3 years	48%	Reconviction	2004
4 years	54%	Reconviction	2004
5 years	59%	Reconviction	2002
5 years	58%	Reconviction	2004
5 years	46%	Reimprisonment	2002
6 years	61%	Reconviction	2004

Germany

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
3 years	48%	Reconviction	2004
3 years	46%	Reconviction	2007
3 years	35%	Reimprisonment	2004

Iceland

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	27%	Reconviction	2005
2 years	27%	Reconviction	2009-11

Ireland

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
3 years	51%	Reconviction	2013
3 years	45%	Reconviction	2010

Israel

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	18%	Reimprisonment	2008
2 years	28%	Reimprisonment	2008
3 years	34%	Reimprisonment	2008
4 years	38%	Reimprisonment	2008
5 years	43%	Reimprisonment	2004
5 years	41%	Reimprisonment	2008

Italy

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
3 years	28%	Re-arrest	2001-09

Latvia

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
29 months	50%	Reconviction	2009

Netherlands

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
1 year	35%	Reconviction	2013
2 years	48%	Reconviction	2007

New Zealand

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
6 months	18%	Reimprisonment	2002-03
1 year	46%	Reconviction	2015-16
1 year	26%	Reimprisonment	2002-03
1 year	32%	Reimprisonment	2015-16
2 years	61%	Reconviction	2015-16
2 years	37%	Reimprisonment	2002-03
2 years	43%	Reimprisonment	2015-16
3 years	44%	Reimprisonment	2002-03
4 years	49%	Reimprisonment	2002-03
5 years	52%	Reimprisonment	2002-03

Norway

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	20%	Reconviction	2005

Singapore

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	27%	Reconviction	2011

South Korea

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
3 years	24%	Reimprisonment	2002

Sweden

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
2 years	43%	Reconviction	2005

United Kingdom

Region	Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
U.K. (England/Wales)	1 year	46%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	1 year	45%	Reconviction	2013
U.K. (England/Wales)	2 years	59%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	3 years	66%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	4 years	70%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	5 years	72%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	6 years	74%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	7 years	76%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	8 years	77%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (England/Wales)	9 years	78%	Reconviction	2000
U.K. (Northern Ireland)	6 months	9%	Reconviction	2005
U.K. (Northern Ireland)	1 year	25%	Reconviction	2005
U.K. (Northern Ireland)	2 years	47%	Reconviction	2005
U.K. (Scotland)	1 year	46%	Reconviction	2009-10

United States

Follow-Up	Rate (%)	Type	Years Studied
6 months	13%	Reconviction	2005-10
6 months	10%	Reimprisonment	2005-10
1 year	23%	Reconviction	2005-10
1 year	17%	Reimprisonment	2005-10
2 years	36%	Reconviction	2005-10
2 years	29%	Reimprisonment	2005-10
3 years	45%	Reconviction	2005-10
3 years	36%	Reimprisonment	2005-10
4 years	51%	Reconviction	2005-10
4 years	41%	Reimprisonment	2005-10
5 years	55%	Reconviction	2005-10
5 years	45%	Reimprisonment	2005-10