According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, recidivism is “measured by criminal acts that resulted in the rearrest, reconviction, or return to prison with or without a new sentence during a three-year period following the prisoner’s release.”
Also called the “revolving door” –– a term popularized by George H.W. Bush‘s 1988 presidential campaign –– recidivism largely contributes to the problems surrounding California’s overcrowded prison system.
Currently, the percentage of prisoners who return to prison following release is quickly rising past 70% –– as ex-convicts are left without the proper skills and resources to turn their lives around after prison and as a result, resort back to crime.
But with the right programs and preemptive measures, our state government would be able to drastically reduce recidivism rates and better prepare former offenders to reenter society.
Text by: Campbell Gee
Art by: Vanessa Lee
Jam the Revolving Door 