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rearrested or returned to prison experienced that negative outcome within the first 2 years following release.
Based on analyses of these data, the research found that women were less likely than men released from prison to be rearrested for any new crime, a crime of violence, and were also less likely to be returned to prison during the follow-up period (Table 3). Specifically, 61 percent of the women released from prison were rearrested for any crime within the follow-up period, compared to 70 percent of the men. Similarly, 15 percent of the women were rearrested specifically for a crime of violence, compared to 31 percent of the men, during the same follow-up period. Finally, when return to prison was examined during the follow-up period, 34 percent of females released from prison were returned to prison within the follow-up period, compared to a rate of 51percent among the males included in the analyses. Although some of this reduced risk of recidivism among the female inmates relative to the males had to do with fewer risk factors, including fewer prior arrests, higher educational achievement, being older, and having a higher likelihood of receiving rehabilitative services in IDOC (i.e., substance abuse treatment), even after these differences were statistically accounted for, women still had lower rates of recidivism, a pattern that has been documented among convicted offenders in Illinois and nationally (Olson, Alderden, & Lurigio, 2003; Deschenes, Owen, & Crow, 2006) .
Table 3
Recidivism Rates of 2007 Releasee Cohort During Follow-up Period
Males
Females
Total
Percent Rearrested for Any New Offense
70.0%
61.2%
69.2%
Percent Rearrested for a Crime of Violence
30.6%
15.2%
29.1%
Percent Returned to Prison
50.8%
34.2%
49.2%
In addition, there were a number of characteristics that were associated with higher rates of recidivism among the female prison releasees. Generally, females inmates released from IDOC that were younger, not married, who had not completed high-school or received a GED, had more prior arrests and prison sentences, who were gang involved, who were in prison for property offenses and less serious felony class offenses, and who had numerous disciplinary infractions while serving their current prison sentence were more likely to be rearrested and
