America has one of the highest criminal recidivism rates of any industrialized nation in the world. National recidivism rates among adults are as high as 73%, while national rearrest rates for juveniles are around 55%.
Professionals estimate that it costs more than $25,000 to arrest, try, and convict a criminal and put them behind bars. That cost is independent of the expense of keeping someone incarcerated or financial and emotional costs incurred by the victims of crime. Lowering the recidivism rate would make our communities safer while saving taxpayers across the country billions of dollars. It would also allow many who find themselves in the revolving door of the current correctional system an opportunity to lead productive and successful lives.
Many in the correctional system think it’s just not possible. As one parole officer stated, “parolees pretend to be good, and we pretend to believe them.” There have been many programs and classes aimed at cutting the recidivism rate, but few, if any, have any lasting impact. One comprehensive national study of 600 programs found that less than 2% of the programs resulted in sustained behavior change.