| BJS home page
Contents of Reentry Trends in the U.S.
Previous
Next
· Highlights
· Definitions
· About the data
|
Reentry Trends in the U.S.
Characteristics of releases
Persons
entering State parole in 1999 were older than those who entered parole
in 1990 (31 to 34 years) while the racial and ethnic composition of entries
was unchanged
Demographic characteristics
of State parole entries
- The racial and
ethnic distributions of persons entering parole remained nearly stable
from 1990 to 1999. In 1999, 35% of parole entries were white, 47% were
black, and 16% were Hispanic.
- In 1999, 10% of
entries to State parole were female, up from 8% in 1990.
- The average age
of prisoners released to parole increased from 31 years in 1990 to 34
years in 1999. In 1999, an estimated 109,300 State prisoners age 40
or older were paroled – 26% of all entries to parole.
Demographic characteristics of State parole entries,
1990 and 1999
|
|
Percent of entries |
| |
|
| Characteristics |
1990 |
|
1999 |
|
|
| Gender |
|
|
|
|
| |
Male |
92.1 |
% |
90.1 |
% |
| |
Female |
7.9 |
|
9.9 |
|
| Race/Hispanic origin |
|
|
|
|
| |
White non-Hispanic |
34.2 |
% |
35.4 |
% |
| |
Black non-Hispanic |
48.8 |
|
47.3 |
|
| |
Hispanic |
16.3 |
|
16.1 |
|
| |
Other |
0.7 |
|
1.2 |
|
| Age at prison release |
|
|
|
|
| |
17 or younger |
0.2 |
% |
0.1 |
% |
| |
18-24 |
23.4 |
|
16.3 |
|
| |
25-29 |
26.6 |
|
19.0 |
|
| |
30-34 |
22.2 |
|
19.7 |
|
| |
35-39 |
13.9 |
|
19.2 |
|
| |
40-44 |
7.3 |
|
13.5 |
|
| |
45-54 |
4.9 |
|
10.2 |
|
| |
55 or older |
1.5 |
|
2.1 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Mean age |
31 |
yrs |
34 |
yrs |
|
| Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence or more than
1 year who were released from State prison. Data are from the National
Corrections Reporting Program. |
- Among discretionary
and mandatory parole releases from State prison in 1999, black non-Hispanic
offenders served longer in prison than white non-Hispanics or Hispanics.
Overall, black non-Hispanic offenders released by discretionary parole
in 1999 served 37 months in prison; white non-Hispanics served 34 months;
and Hispanics 33 months. Black offenders released by mandatory parole
served 7 months longer than whites (38 months compared to 31 months).
Hispanics served 30 months.
 To the top
Background characteristics
of prisoners expected to be released
Among State prisoners
expected to be released to the community by yearend 1999:
- 56% had one or
more prior incarcerations and 25% had 3 or more prior incarcerations.
- 84% reported being
involved in drugs or alcohol at the time of the offense which led to
their incarceration.
- Nearly 25% were
determined to be alcohol dependent.
- 21% had committed
the offense to obtain money for drugs.
- 14% were determined
to be mentally ill.
- 12% reported being
homeless at the time of the arrest.
To the top
Demographic characteristics of successful State parolees
- Between 1990 and
1999, the success rates among State parole discharges increased from
33% to 39% among blacks and increased from 31% to 51% among Hispanics,
but dropped from 44% to 41% among whites.
- Among discharges
from State parole in 1999, 39% of males successfully completed parole
supervision compared to 48% of females.
- Success rates
were higher among discharges that were age 55 or older (54%) than among
those who were under age 25 (36%).
- Accounting for
2.1% of discharges in 1999, parolees age 55 or older had the highest
rate of successful completion (55%).
- Discharge
refers to individuals exiting parole supervision.
- Successful discharges include persons who have completed the
term of conditional supervision.
- Unsuccessful discharges include revocations of parole, returns
to prison or jail, and absconders. Parolees who are transferred to other
jurisdictions and those who die while under supervision are not included
in the calculation of success/failure rates.
- BJS Sources:
Trends
in State Parole, 1990-2000, October, 2001.
"State and Federal prisoners returning to the community: Findings from the Bureau of Justice Statistics"
(PDF file, 30K), by Allen J. Beck, presented at the First Reentry Courts
Initiative Cluster Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2000.
Related information
From BJS
- Topical pages
- National,
State, and Federal correctional data in spreadsheets
From the Office
of Justice Programs
- Serious
and violent offender reentry initiative
|
