Reentry Trends in the United States

Inmates returning to the community after serving time in prison

by Timothy Hughes and Doris James Wilson, BJS Statisticians

Highlights

Contents

Definitions

About the Data

Highlights

•  At least 95% of all State prisoners will be released from prison at some point; nearly 80% will be released to parole supervision.
  
  
•  At yearend 2002, 1,440,655 prisoners were under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional authorities.
  
  
•  In 2001, about 592,000 State prison inmates were released to the community after serving time in prison.
  
  
•  Nearly 33% of State prison releases in 1999 were drug offenders, 25% were violent offenders and 31% were property offenders.
  
  
•  670,169 adults were under State parole supervision at yearend 2002.
  
  
•  By the end of 2000, 16 States had abolished discretionary release from prison by a parole board for all offenders.
  
  
•  Among State parole discharges in 2000, 41% successfully completed their term of supervision; relatively unchanged since 1990.