The Nation - News from May 25, 1987

Seven of 10 young adults paroled from prison are rearrested for serious crimes within six years, according to a new government study. Young men, blacks and parolees who have not completed high school are more likely to be repeat offenders than are young women, whites and high school graduates, said the 22-state survey of criminals from ages 17 to 22 who were paroled in 1978. The study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 69% of the 11,300 parolees were rearrested for more than 36,000 new felonies or serious misdemeanors in the next six years. Recidivism rates were found highest in the first two years after release.