Recidivism Rates by State 2026

Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to repeat or reoffend a crime after already receiving punishment or serving their sentence. The term is often used in conjunction with substance abuse as a synonym for “relapse” but is specifically used for criminal behavior. The United States has some of the highest recidivism rates in the world. According to the National Institute of Justice, almost 44% of criminals released return before the first year out of prison. In 2005, about 68% of 405,000 released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within three years, and 77% were arrested within five years.

Factors contributing to recidivism include a person’s social environment and community, their circumstances before incarceration, events during their incarceration, and, one of the main reasons, difficulty adjusting back into normal life. Many of these individuals have trouble reconnecting with family and finding a job to support themselves. Incarceration rates in the U.S. began increasing dramatically in the 1990s. The U.S. has the highest prison population if any country, comprising 25% of the world’s prisoners. Prisons are overcrowded, and inmates are forced to live in inhumane conditions, even those who are innocent and awaiting trial.

The United States justice system places its efforts on getting criminals off of the streets by locking them up but fails to fix the issue of preventing these people from reoffending afterward. This is why many believe that the U.S. prison system is greatly flawed. Recidivism affects everyone: the offender, their family, the victim of the crime, law enforcement, and the community overall. Crime can affect anyone in any community. If a previously-incarcerated person is released only to repeat an offense or act out a new crime, there will be new victims. Furthermore, taxpayers are impacted by the economic cost of crime and incarceration as the average per-inmate cost of incarceration in the U.S. is $31,286 per year.

Steps can be taken during incarceration to decrease recidivism. First is assessing the risks for reoffending and the criminogenic needs that contributed to breaking the law, such as a lack of self-control or an antisocial peer group. The second is to assess their individual motivators, followed by choosing the appropriate treatment program. The fourth step is to implement evidence-based programming that emphasizes cognitive-behavioral strategies, coupled with positive reinforcement that can help them recognize and feel good about positive behavior. Lastly, the formerly incarcerated need ongoing support from a good peer group, as repeat offenders who were in gang culture have the greatest challenge to stay away from that behavior.

Recividism Rate by State

Alabama

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, Alabama prisons’ recidivism rate is 28.7. Alabama defines recidivism as returning to custody within three years of release.

Alaska

According to the Alaska Department of Corrections, Alaska’s recidivism rate is 61.6, with two-thirds of those individuals being re-incarcerated within six months of being released. This is the highest rate in the country. Alaska defines recidivism as returning to custody within three years of release.

Arizona

According to Charles Ryan, the director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, the recidivism rate in Arizona is around 36.3%. Arizona defines recidivism as returning to custody within three years of release.

Arkansas

The recidivism rate in Arkansas is 47.5% according to 2021 data.

California

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California’s recidivism rate has averaged around 50% over the past ten years. The most recent data, from the 2017-2018 fiscal year was 44.65%.

Colorado

According to the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, the recidivism rate in Colorado is 44.9%.

Connecticut

According to the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division, Connecticut’s recidivism rate is 49%.

Delaware

Delaware’s three-year recidivism rate is 60.2% percent, the second-highest rate in the country behind Alaska.

Florida

According to a study released by the Florida Department of Corrections, Florida’s recidivism rate is about 25.4% over three years. This is well below the national average and is one of the lowest among all states.

Georgia

The state of Georgia reports a 30% recidivism rate; however, the actual recidivism rate is closer to 50% when considering the number of people who commit a technical violation while on probation or parole and the number of people who recidivate after the three-year period.

Hawaii

A report from the Interagency Council on Intermediate Sanctions states that the recidivism rate in Hawaii is about 48.9%.

Idaho

The recidivism rate in Idaho is about 36.3% and the rate for offenders who were imprisoned for parole violations averages about 3% higher. Idaho has one of the lowest crime rates in the country but one of the highest incarceration rates. A large portion of those who are incarcerated are repeat offenders.

Illinois

The recidivism rate in Illinois within one year of release is 17% and within three years of release is 38.5%. The Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council estimated that the recidivism rate would cost taxpayers $13 billion over five years if nothing is done to decrease it.

Indiana

According to the Indiana Department of Correction, Indiana’s recidivism rate is 38.2% for both people facing a new conviction or violating parole. This is the lowest rate in Indiana in six years.

Iowa

The recidivism rate in Iowa is 38.7%. The recidivism rate is a major contributing factor to Iowa’s highest prison population count in eight years.

Kansas

The Corrections Secretary of Kansas reports that the three-year recidivism rate in Kansas is 34.7%.

Kentucky

Kentucky’s recidivism rate is 32.2%. The recidivism rate for those on parole or probation is 52%.

Louisiana

According to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, the three-year recidivism rate in Louisiana is 29.6%. Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate overall in the country at 683 per 100,000.

Maine

Maine’s three-year recidivism rate is 26.3%. This rate has stayed fairly consistent for the last three years.

Maryland

Maryland’s three-year recidivism rate is 40.5%.

Massachusetts

According to 2021 data, Massachusetts’s three-year recidivism rate is 33%.

Michigan

Michigan’s recidivism rate is 26.%, the lowest it has ever been and one of the ten lowest recidivism rates in the United States.

Minnesota

According to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, Minnesota’s three-year recidivism rate has ranged from 35-37% in recent years, but in 2021 the rate was recorded at 25%..

Mississippi

The three-year recidivism rate in Mississippi is about 36.8%. Mississippi’s five-year recidivism rate is more than twice that at 77%.

Missouri

The most recent recidivism rate from the Missouri Department of Corrections is 43.9% for all releases and 37.2% for first-time releases.

Montana

The three-year recidivism rate is 38.6% for all offenders.

Nebraska

The recidivism rate in Nebraska is 30.2%.

Nevada

According to the Nevada Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate is 24.6%.

New Hampshire

According to the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate is 41.5%, about the same as the national rate.

New Jersey

New Jersey’s recidivism rate is 30.4%, based on the most current data available from 2013. This is a significant decrease from 37% in 2007.

New Mexico

The three-year recidivism rate for New Mexico is about 49.1%.

New York

The three-year recidivism rate in New York is about 43%.

North Carolina

According to data from the 2019 fiscal year, North Carolina’s three-year recidivism rate was 21%.

North Dakota

Based on the most recent data available, North Dakota’s recidivism rate is 41.2%.

Ohio

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, the three-year recidivism rate in Ohio is 32.7%

Oklahoma

The three-year recidivism rate in Oklahoma is 22.6%, one of the lowest in the country. Despite this, Oklahoma has the second-highest incarceration rate in the country, behind Louisiana.

Oregon

Oregon’s three-year recidivism rate was 13.1% in 2022.

Pennsylvania

According to an annual report from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate in Pennsylvania is 47.1%.

Rhode Island

According to the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate is 50%.

South Carolina

According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate in South Carolina is 21%. This is one of the lowest recidivism rates in the country.

South Dakota

According to the South Dakota Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate is 44%.

Tennessee

The three-year recidivism rate in Tennessee is 47.2%.

Texas

The three-year recidivism rate in Texas is 20.3%.

Utah

The recidivism rate in Utah is about 46%.

Vermont

According to the Department of Correction, the recidivism rate in Vermont is 43.8%.

Virginia

According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate is 22.3%. This rate is one of the lowest in the country.

Washington

Based on the most recent data available, Washington’s three-year recidivism rate is 30.7%.

West Virginia

According to the most recent data available from the West Virginia Divisions of Corrections, the three-year recidivism rate in West Virginia is 29.3%.

Wisconsin

Based on data from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, there three-year recidivism rate in Wisconsin is 38.1%.

Wyoming

The three-year recidivism rate in Wyoming is 33.8% according to 2021 data.