Assignment One

Introduction

The National Institute of Justice categories recidivism as a “person’s relapse into criminal

behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous
crime” (NIJ). Time and time again, it has proven to be a major, constant issue within the criminal

justice system. Effort has been made in order to help decrease it, such as rehabilitate offenders

and implement criminal justice reforms, yet despite the best efforts, these recidivism rates remain

high in many locations. The connection between incarceration and recidivism is connected by

many different factors, ranging from the lack of access to rehabilitation programs, conditions of

incarceration, social support (family, jobs, government assistance) and the systemic inequities. In

order to consider and address the persistent never ending cycle of crime, these elements must be

addressed and understood.

Social Theories

​ A report cited in the ‘Bureau of Justice Statistics’ followed a group of prisoners that were

released in around thirty four states, and did a follow up after five years of their release. Results

were shocking and prove just how big of an issue recidivism is. They found that around 62% of

prisoners that were released were arrested again within three years and nearly half of these

prisoners returned to prison within five years for a parole or probation violation (Bureau of

Justice Statistics, 2018). Research points to three theories that might explain the reasoning

behind these high ratings. Strain theory, often described as the pressure that is received from any

sort of social factors are what drives individuals to commit crimes can be an explanation for this

(Britannica, 2024). When a prisoner is released from prison, incorporating back into society is

not an easy fix. It takes time and effort, and many opportunities could be closed for them. Strain

theory explains that an individual might turn to delinquency if they are unable to achieve their

goals through ‘legitimate channels’ , as they are faced with a blockage in the way or frustration,
that could led them to simply try and achieve their goals in any other way they see fit (Agnew,

2006). Labeling theory can be described with simply its name, crime could be a result of the

label these individuals are handed. Once they are labeled as criminals, they have to live the rest

of their lives as one, and face reduced opportunities that could let them to only acting as

criminals. Once a criminal faces “the process of tagging, defining, identifying, segregating,

describing, emphasizing, evoking the very traits that are complained of” , it is very hard for the

person to become anything but “what he is described as being” (Plummer). Once this person is

simply stigmatized by society, they have no choice but to internalize these labels, and simply

become that everyone sees them as a criminal till the end. The Social learning theory emphasizes

the importance of observing, modeling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotions

reactions of others” (McLeod, 2024). Individuals gain behaviors due to the people they are

surrounded with. In the same way, if an individual is surrounded by criminal behavior, that too

will become a learned behavior, as that is what they are observing and might even be imitating.

Justice System Approach to Incarceration

There has been an uphill rise of mass incarceration (unprecedented rise in the number of

people imprisoned) due to many factors. It was stated that between the years of 1970 to 2020, the

U.S. experienced one of the sharpest increases in incarceration rates, leading them to have one of

the highest rates in the world, having over two million individuals under some form of

correctional supervision (BJS, 2020). This is as a result of things such as the War on Drugs,

emphasizing a strict law enforcement and zero tolerance policies on drug offenses, including

things like mandatory minimum sentences and three-strike laws, increasing the amount of time
or sentences someone gets. This is not in place in order to help the inmates, instead it shows an

increase in punishment towards criminals, instead of the main goal being that they do not commit

a new crime or to help them. There has also been a rise in for-profit prisons, created in order to

allow states to maintain these high incarceration rates. It is to no surprise that they could serve as

an incentive to expand mass incarceration. This serves as an explanation for high recidivism

numbers. An overcrowded facility cannot have the necessary resources to aid every single inmate

towards rehabilitation. Due to this lack of support, many inmates might be forced to commit

crimes once more. It is no surprise that this has a disproportionate impact, especially on racial

minorities. Nothing in this world remains 100% fair, and it can be seen in the disparities that rise

from systemic biases and structural inequities. Throughout the past few years, we have seen

rising examples of racial profiling, especially towards African Americans. We see this with

examples, such as over-policing in black neighborhoods. It is also interesting to note that African

Americans are incarcerated at significantly higher rates than White Americans. While only

making up 13% of the population, they account for 38% of the prison population (BJS, 2020).

Socioeconomic status also plays a big role. Social Disorganization Theory explains how

communities that have high levels of poverty, residential mobility and ethnic diversity are more

likely to have higher rates of crime. This is as a result of individuals turning to criminal activity

as a way to simply survive.

Factors Contributing to Recidivism

mental health treatment during incarceration. A research called ‘Drug Treatment and Recidivism

in the Criminal Justice System’ showed that lack of access to rehabilitation programs, such as

drug treatments for example, lead to higher recidivism rates, as without address the main causes

as to why someone is lead to criminal behavior, they remain at high risk of returning to crime

(Swavola et al, 2016). After being in prison for years, for example, entering the regular world

again is already a whole lot of trouble. It changes how people view you and what you can do

with your life. If they are released, without any underlying issues they may have are addressed, it

is simply just going to make the inmates go back to the exact way that they were before, and

continue their criminal behavior. Additionally, education and job opportunities are a factor when

an inmate is released. As explained before, strain theory comes into play here. If an inmate is

trying to get a job but eventually failing because something is blocking them, for example their

criminal history, they might resort back to crime for financial stability. For example, a study

found that focusing on education and vocational programs during incarceration helps reduce

recidivism, as it allows for inmates to receive job training, opening many more opportunities for

them once they leave the prison. In fact, it shows that the inmates had 25% lower recidivism

rates if they participated as compared to those who did not (Duwe & Clark, 2015). It is important

to have these programs accessible in prisons in order to actually lower recidivism rates. Social

disorganization theory also deals with inmates who are released. These individuals often find

themselves right back where they started, in their own poverty with lack of social support, facing

issues perhaps like unemployment. Or, neighbors with high crime rates that influenced these

individuals still exist, and will continue to influence them.

Due to a number of systemic, social, and individual variables, recidivism is still a major

and enduring problem in the criminal justice system. Lack of access to mental health care,

rehabilitation programs, unemployment, social support deficiencies, and systemic injustices like

poverty and racial inequalities all have an impact on the relationship between incarceration and

recidivism. There are theories in place that explain why people are more likely to commit crimes

again after being released from prison and emphasize learned behaviors, stigmatization, and

social pressures as the main causes of these high recidivism rates. Mass incarceration,

overcrowded prisons, and punitive policies that prioritize punishment over rehabilitation are

some of the ways that the criminal justice system itself has contributed to this problem. By

addressing the root reasons of criminal conduct and giving prisoners alternatives for stability and

reintegration, programs including education, vocational training, and mental health care have

demonstrated promise in reducing recidivism. However, access to these possibilities is restricted

by institutional obstacles such racial inequities, underfunding, and congestion, which

disproportionately affect underprivileged populations. Comprehensive reform is needed to

reduce recidivism and improve rehabilitation programs. Ultimately, by understanding the factors

contributing to recidivism and implementing effective solutions, the cycle of crime could be

broken and provide individuals with the tools and opportunities needed to build stable,

crime-free lives after incarceration.

References

Agnew, R. (2001, November). Building on the Foundation of General Strain Theory. Journal of

Research in Crime and Delinquency.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/strain-theory-sociology

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2018). Recidivism rates among state prisoners released in 2012.

U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved from https://bjs.ojp.gov

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2020). Prisoners in 2020. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved

from https://bjs.ojp.gov/

Duwe, G., & Clark, V. (2015). The Effect of Vocational and Educational Programming on

Recidivism Rates. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 42(1), 45-59.

McLeod, S. (2024, February 1). Albert bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Simply Psychology.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html

National Institute of Justice. (2023). Recidivism. National Institute of Justice.

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/corrections/recidivism

Plummer, K. (n.d.). Labeling Theory. University of Essex.

‌Swavola, L., Stevens, A., & Clark, J. (2016). Drug Treatment and Recidivism in the Criminal

Justice System. The National Institute of Justice. Retrieved from https://nij.ojp.gov.