RETURNING TO PRISON: THE FACTS

Southeast Statistics.

Tennessee, using 1996 data, reports 45 percent of ex-convicts return to
prison in three years, counting new crimes and court-ordered returns.
Florida, counting only new convictions and using an average of returns from
1993 through 2001, reports a 40.2 percent return in three years. Alabama,
counting returns to prison for any reason, reported in 1999 that 33.8
percent of ex-convicts return to prison in three years. Georgia, using only
new convictions and 1997 figures, reports a 36.4 return rate in three
years. Mississippi, counting returns to prison for any reason and averaging
returns from 1990 to 1996, reports 29.8 percent back in three years.

Property Criminals.

Alabama Department of Corrections data for convicts released in 1999 show
that property criminals are most likely to return to prison. Those
convicted of forgery led the pack at 52.2 percent back in prison after
three years, followed by burglary, 41.2 percent; robbery, 39.3 percent;
drugs, 29.4 percent; assault, 28.9 percent; and rape and other sex
offenses, 26.4 percent.

Alabama Fourth in Nation.

Alabama sends more convicts to prison per capita than all but four states
in the nation. Data from the Vera Institute of Justice in New York shows
that Alabama locks up 584 convicts per 100,000 population, topped only by
Louisiana at 800, Mississippi at 715, Texas at 711 and Oklahoma at 658. The
national average is 422, according to the Vera Institute's Alabama Databook
for 2002.