Uijpc Report Reincarcerated Men Returning to Ma Prisons Apr 2008

• Topics: Prisoner Privileges, Rehabilitation/Recidivism

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RESEARCH
REPORT
April 2008

Reincarcerated: The
Experiences of Men
Returning to
Massachusetts Prisons

Lisa E. Brooks
Amy L. Solomon
Rhiana Kohl
Jenny W. L. Osborne
Jay Reid
Susan M. McDonald
Hollie Matthews Hoover

URBAN INSTITUTE

Justice Policy Center

THE URBAN INSTITUTE
Justice Policy Center
2100 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
www.urban.org

© April 2008. The Urban Institute.
This project was supported by Grant #2005-DB-BX-0014, awarded by the Bureau of Justice
Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, through the Executive Office
of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) Office of Grants and Research. The views expressed in
this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or
policies of the Urban Institute, the Massachusetts Department of Correction, the U.S. Department
of Justice, or EOPSS.

About the Authors
Lisa E. Brooks spent several years as a research associate at the Urban Institute, where her work
focused primarily on corrections and prisoner reentry. In addition to managing the Massachusetts
Recidivism Study, her recent work included research aimed at understanding the challenges of
prisoner reentry and identifying the factors that contribute to violence and self-harm in jails. She
is now a public safety program analyst in the District of Columbia’s Office of the City
Administrator.
Amy L. Solomon is a senior research associate at the Urban Institute, where she works to link
the research activities of the Justice Policy Center to the policy and practice arenas. She directs
projects relating to reentry from local jails, community supervision, and innovative reentry
practices at the neighborhood level. Ms. Solomon served as co-principal investigator of the
Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Study.
Rhiana Kohl is the Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Research for the Massachusetts
Department of Correction. In that capacity, she oversees research, information technology,
performance measures, and grant management. Dr. Kohl has been integrally involved in
numerous studies and publications including those relevant to prisoner reentry, female offenders,
inmate population trends, overcrowding, and recidivism. Dr. Kohl served as co-principal
investigator of the Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Study.
Jenny W. L. Osborne is a research associate in the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center,
where she is involved in policy and practitioner-oriented prisoner reentry projects. She serves as
the Center’s primary contact for prisoner reentry research and is the project coordinator for the
Jail Reentry Roundtable Initiative and the Transition from Jail to Community project.
Jay Reid is a research associate at the Urban Institute, where he is involved in researching the
link between mental health and crime prevention. He also has experience in multivariate
statistical modeling to capture different dimensions of recidivism as it relates to community
supervision, intervention programs, and drug courts.
Susan M. McDonald is a senior research associate with the Massachusetts Department of
Correction, where she is involved in projects related to prisoner reentry, recidivism, and the
Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).
Hollie Matthews Hoover is a senior research analyst with the Massachusetts Department of
Correction, where she is responsible for providing statistical information on the inmate
population. Ms. Hoover is the primary contact for recidivism data for the Massachusetts
Department of Correction.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank several people who contributed to this report. First, we would
like to acknowledge Kathleen M. Dennehy, former Commissioner of the Massachusetts
Department of Correction, for her insights and steady support for the life of the project, as well
as Acting Commissioner James R. Bender for his continued support and involvement.
We would like to acknowledge the staff at Guideline who conducted the prisoner interviews.
They were professional, efficient, and, importantly, they were flexible to the ebbs and flows of
the interview schedule. We are also grateful to the DOC staff at MCI-Concord for facilitating
access to eligible prisoners to be interviewed and for their patience and flexibility throughout the
interview process. DOC Program Services Director Christopher Mitchell and Deputy Director
Brian Kearnan and Spectrum staff were particularly helpful in their assistance providing data.
Former DOC Research Division staff, Lorie Lahue, Nicole King, Rebecca Lebeau, and Margaux
Reinoso, were actively involved in earlier phases of the project.
The Massachusetts Parole Board, Chairperson Maureen Walsh and Executive Director Don
Giancioppo, in particular, provided ongoing support for the project and allowed—even
encouraged—parole officers to take time from their busy schedules to participate in the focus
groups. Without the Parole Board’s gracious access and cooperation, we would not have been
able to produce as valuable a discussion as emerged from the two focus groups. We are also
grateful to the parole officers who participated in the focus groups and offered such thoughtful
and substantive input.
We also want to thank Richard Stroker, senior manager at the Center for Effective Public Policy,
for facilitating the parole officer focus groups. Richard’s credibility in the field and facilitation
skills guided the discussion in a way that produced rich and thoughtful insights from participants.
In addition to facilitating the focus groups, Richard provided valuable feedback on the focus
group questions and a summary of the discussion.
Jeffrey Beard, Secretary of Corrections at the Pennsylvania Department of Correction, and his
staff generously shared with us the survey instruments they developed for the Pennsylvania
Department of Corrections Parole Violator Study. Their parole-violator and parole-officer
surveys were enormously useful resources as we designed our prisoner recidivism survey and the
questions for the parole officer focus groups.
We are also grateful to Christy Visher, our close colleague at the Urban Institute, for serving as
senior advisor to the study. Her advice and input have been enormously helpful for the life of the
project. Samantha Hetrick and Rayanne Hawkins, also of the Urban Institute, were invaluable
contributors in the final stages of analysis, writing, and formatting.
Finally, we owe a special thanks to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and
Security for funding this study. We were fortunate to work with former director of research,
Sarah Lawrence, and evaluation specialist, Keith O'Brien, whose substantive understanding of
the topic and genuine interest in policy-relevant findings were a great support to our work.

Contents
Introduction. Recidivism in Massachusetts ....................................................................... 3
About the Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Study .......................................................4
Organization of Report ......................................................................................................5

Section I. What Are the Characteristics and Criminal Histories of Survey
Respondents?..................................................................................... .............................. 7
Characteristics ..................................................................................................................7
Criminal Histories ..............................................................................................................7

Section II. What Were the Experiences of Survey Respondents During Their Previous
DOC Incarceration?.......................................................................................................... 9
Offense Type, Sentence Length, and Time Served ..........................................................9
Programming...................................................................................................................10
Reentry Preparation ........................................................................................................11

Section III. What Were the Circumstances and Challenges Faced in the Community?.. 13
Housing, Neighborhood and Peer Influence ...................................................................13
Substance Use in the Month before Reincarceration......................................................15
Employment and Finances..............................................................................................18
Family Relationships and Support ..................................................................................18
Health and Medical Care.................................................................................................19
Involvement in Community Programs and Services........................................................19
Nonwork Activities...........................................................................................................21

Section IV. What Was the Extent of Criminal Activity between Incarcerations? ............. 23
Self-Reported Criminal Activity .......................................................................................23
Contact with the Criminal Justice System Prior to Reincarceration ................................25
Circumstances that Led to Reincarceration ....................................................................26

Section V. What Were the Experiences of Respondents on Parole Supervision?.......... 29
Interactions with Parole Officers .....................................................................................29
Parole Conditions and Compliance.................................................................................30
Violation Type, Trigger, and Detection ............................................................................30

Section VI. What Are Respondents' Perspectives on Challenges and Future Success in
the Community? ............................................................................................................. 36
The Single Biggest Challenge after Release ..................................................................36
Services That Were or Would Have Been Helpful after the Previous Release ...............37
Services or Programs Most Helpful in Prison and in the Community after Release .......38

Summary of Findings and Discussion ............................................................................ 41

Tables and Figures
Figure 1. Race and Ethnicity ……………………………………………………................................7
Figure 2. Marital Status………….………………………………………………………………...........7
Table 1. Criminal Histories: Averages for Technical Violators, New Crime Parole Violators and
New Crime Only Respondents......................................................................................................8
Figure 3. Offenses Leading to Previous Incarceration …………………………………………….....9
Table 2. Mean Time Served for Previous Incarceration …………………………………. ...............9
Figure 4. Program Participation During Previous Incarceration..................................................10
Figure 5. Housing Arrangement During Most of the Time in Community by Housing Type…… 14
Table 3. Primary Reasons for Returning or Relocating. ............................................................15
Figure 6. Substance Use in the Month before Reincarceration by Substance Type . ................16
Figure 7. Substance Use in the month before Reincarceration by Frequency of Use and
Respondent Type .......................................................................................................................17
Table 4. Community-Based Program Participation by Release Status.......................................20
Figure 8. Hours Per Week Spent on Nonwork Activities ............................................................21
Table 5. Percentage of Respondents Self-Reporting Any Crime (Whether Arrested or Not) .....24
Figure 9. Time to Commit First Self-Reported Crime by Type ....................................................24
Table 6. Number of Arraignment Charges Between Incarcerations by Respondent Type ........25
Figure 10. Offense Categories for First Arraignment after Release for New Crime
Respondents...............................................................................................................................26
Figure 11. Problems and Emotional States at the Time of Arrest or Technical Violation Leading
to Reincarceration ......................................................................................................................27
Figure 12. Frequency of Contact with Parole Officer in the Month before Reincarceration……..29
Figure 13. Technical Violations Resulting in Parole Revocation.................................................31
Figure 14. The Single Biggest Challenge after Release .............................................................36
Figure 15. The Most Helpful Service after Previous Release .....................................................37
Figure 16. Services that Will Be Most Helpful in Prison..............................................................38
Figure 17. Services that Will Be Most Helpful in the Community after Release..........................39

Sidebars
Key Findings……………………………………………………………………………………………....1
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………………………..5
Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………….6
Companion Report………………………………………………………………………………………..8
Sample Representativeness…………………………………………………………………………......8
Focus Groups with Parole Officers .............................................................................................32

Key Findings

Nearly all respondents (96 percent) reported that they participated in some type of in-prison
programming during their previous incarceration. Just over three-quarters (76 percent) received some
type of transitional assistance specifically designed to prepare them for release to the community.

After their most recent release from prison, only a third of respondents (33 percent) reported returning to
the neighborhood they had lived in before prison.

Most respondents (86 percent) reported that their families had been helpful during their transition from
prison, particularly in providing housing and emotional support.

Nearly half of all respondents (49 percent) lived with someone who had a problem with drinking or drug
use, and over a third (38 percent) lived with someone who had served time in jail or prison.

Over two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) reported drunkenness or illegal drug use in the month
before reincarceration. Over a third (38 percent) reported daily substance abuse. Sixty-one percent of
new crime respondents had been drunk or used illegal drugs in the 24 hours preceding the offense.

Respondents not under parole supervision were far more likely to report using alcohol or drugs on a
daily basis in the month before incarceration (71 percent) than technical violators (31 percent) and new
crime parole violators (13 percent).

Most respondents (77 percent) were employed at some point between release and reincarceration.
However, only 56 percent were employed at the time of arrest.

More than three-quarters of respondents (79 percent) were involved in some type of community program
or service after release, most commonly Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA) (64
percent), counseling (31 percent), or an employment-related program (25 percent). Those under parole
supervision were more likely to report participating in community programs. About half of all respondents
(49 percent) reported wanting to participate in certain community-based programs but being unable to
do so.

In terms of substance abuse treatment in the month before reincarceration, nearly half of all respondents
(47 percent) reported attending some type of program, such as AA or NA. Among those who reported
heavy drug or alcohol use, only 32 percent reported participating in a program in the month before
reincarceration.

Fifty-five percent of all respondents released to parole reported violating at least one condition during
their time in the community, whether or not they were caught. By far, the most common reported
violation was failure to report for drug testing. Among those who reported that a technical violation
resulted in their parole revocation, the two most common responses were a positive test for drugs or
alcohol (53 percent) and failing to report to their parole officer (33 percent).

Forty-one percent of respondents reported that they had committed some type of crime while in the
community. New crime respondents not under parole supervision were significantly more likely to report
criminal activity (78 percent) than both technical violators (22 percent) and parole violators returned for a
new crime (35 percent).

Official CORI data showed a similar trend: respondents had an average of four arraignments between
incarcerations. Parolees, both technical violators and new crime parole violators, had substantially fewer
arraignments between incarcerations (averaging less than one and three, respectively) than new crime
only respondents (ten).

Drug sales or distribution was the most common self-reported crime type among both new crime
respondents and technical violators (28 percent). One out of four respondents who reported dealing
drugs committed this offense within 48 hours of release.

Nearly two-thirds of new crime respondents (63 percent) reported that they had not worried about
getting caught at the time they committed the offense that led to their return to prison.

Over half of new crime respondents (57 percent) said that something could have prevented them from
committing the offense. Most common responses were employment, children, and sobriety.

INTRODUCTION.

RECIDIVISM IN MASSACHUSETTS
The rising incarceration rate in America over the past quarter century has resulted in more
prisoners being admitted to and released from prison each year. In 2005 alone, more than
698,000 state and federal prisoners returned to communities across the country, a four-fold
increase over the past two decades.1 Incarceration and release trends in Massachusetts generally
mirror this growth.2 Between 1980 and 2006, the Massachusetts state adult prison population
increased more than threefold—from 2,754 to 9,405 individuals.3 The number of people being
released from Massachusetts’ prisons has also increased substantially. In 1980, 1,015 individuals
were released from the state’s prisons. Over the past two-and-a-half decades, this number more
than doubled to 2,337 individuals.4
The phenomenon of prisoner reentry has been increasingly recognized as an important public
safety issue not only because of the increasing volume of releases from prison, but particularly
because of persistently high recidivism rates. Nationally, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports
that over two-thirds of released prisoners are rearrested for a new offense within three years of
their release, and over half are back in prison serving time for a new offense or a technical
violation of their parole.5
Recent Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) figures6 show that three-year recidivism
rates among Massachusetts prisoners, as measured by a return to prison, were lower than the
national average, though still substantial.7 Thirty-nine percent of DOC prisoners released in 1999
were returned to a state, county, or federal facility within three years of release.8 The majority of
those who recidivated in Massachusetts were reincarcerated for conviction of a new crime, but
more than a third were returned for technical violations of parole.9
Research on recidivism has generally focused on static predictors of recidivism and the
characteristics of career criminals. It is now widely known, for instance, that a young age at the
1

Sabol, William J., Todd D. Minton, Paige M. Harrison (2007). Prison and Jail Inmates Midyear, 2006. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin. NCJ
217675. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

For more information on incarceration and release trends in Massachusetts as well as the characteristics of Massachusetts’s state prisoners,
release and supervision policies, and the geographic distribution of released prisoners, see Lisa Brooks, Amy Solomon, Sinead Keegan, Rhiana
Kohl, and Lori Lahue. 2005. Prisoner Reentry in Massachusetts. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

Kohl, Rhiana (forthcoming 2008). Impacts of Admissions and Releases in Prisons, Vol.34. Boston, MA: New England Journal on Criminal and
Civil Confinement.

Kohl, Impacts of Admissions and Releases in Prisons.

Langan, Patrick and David Levin. 2002. Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 1994. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report. NCJ 193427.
Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Kohl, Rhiana and Hollie Matthews Hoover (2007). “Recidivism Overview.” Milford, MA: Massachusetts Department of Correction.

DOC recidivism figures apply only to criminally sentenced prisoners released from the DOC, which consist primarily of state sentenced
prisoners.
8
Hoover, Hollie A. 2005. Recidivism of 1999 Released Department of Corrections Inmates. Concord, MA: Massachusetts Department of
Correction.
9

ibid. While the proportion of DOC inmates paroled has remained stable (approximately a third of releases to the street since 1995), admissions
of parole violators has had a significant impact on the DOC population, representing 9 percent of criminally sentenced admissions in 2006. Kohl,
Rhiana (Unpublished Report 2007) Parole and Technical Violations at the DOC. Concord, MA: Massachusetts Department of Correction.

time of first offense and a higher number of previous arrests are among the strongest predictors
of recidivism, and that a small fraction of offenders are responsible for the majority of crime.10
Research also shows that persistent career offenders are more likely to be drug users.11 In
addition to substance abuse, the emerging prisoner reentry literature documents the enormous
challenges of housing, employment, and health among this population.12
What is missing from recidivism research is an understanding of the processes that lead a
released prisoner to reoffend—in other words, why he or she commits a new crime. The
postrelease circumstances and experiences of released prisoners as well as their previous
incarceration experiences are critical to understanding the recidivism process. Because this
information is best gathered through personal interviews, here we present findings from field
research with recently reincarcerated prisoners as well as parole officers. This report attempts to
deepen our understanding of recidivism in Massachusetts and factors that contribute to returning
to prison.

About the Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Study
The primary goal of this study is to better understand the experiences of recidivists and how their
previous incarceration and time in the community relate to their returns to prison. Drawing upon
interviews with 178 male prisoners returned to the Massachusetts Department of Correction
(DOC) within three years of release as well as DOC administrative data, this report presents
aspects of respondents’ incarceration experience, preparation for reentry, and life in the
community, as well as criminal offending and the circumstances leading up to their
reincarceration. This largely descriptive analysis highlights key challenges released prisoners
face in the community, such as housing, employment, and substance abuse; experiences on
parole supervision; respondents’ emotional state and life circumstances preceding the offense or
parole violation; and prisoners’ insights into services that may help them avoid reincarceration in
the future. (See the methodology sidebar for more detail on the study design.)
In Massachusetts, as in other parts of the country, parole violators have a substantial impact on
prison populations. Nationally, few data exist concerning whether those returning for technical
violations have also committed a new crime or the extent to which reincarcerating technical
violators contributes to public safety. As such, this study also explores the challenges and
circumstances unique to technical parole violators and the connection between technical parole
violations and underlying criminal behavior. To identify such differences, we compare technical
violators with new crime respondents in our sample. To explore the connection between
technical parole revocations and underlying criminal behavior, we examine self-reported
criminal activity and parole violations, as well as official criminal history data.

10
Visher, Christy. 2000. Career Criminals and Crime Control. In Joseph Sheley (Ed) Criminology: A Contemporary Handbook (pp.601-619).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Also, see Tracey, P. M. Wolfgang, and R. Figlio. 1990. Delinquency Careers in Two Birth Cohorts. New York:
Plenum.
11

Visher, Christy. 2000.

See Solomon, Amy, Christy Visher, Nancy LaVigne, and Jenny Osborne (eds). (2006). Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry:
Research Findings from the Urban Institute’s Prisoner Reentry Portfolio. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

In addition to the circumstances surrounding technical violations, we are also interested in
exploring the role of parole supervision in prisoner reentry. In doing so, we examine
respondents’ experiences in the community between incarcerations and note the differences
between people released to parole supervision (including those reincarcerated for a technical
parole violation or an arrest for a new crime)13 and those released without parole supervision.14
To provide further insight into behaviors that signal parole failure and the process by which
parole is revoked, we also present highlights from focus group discussions with Massachusetts
parole officers.

Definition of Terms
Throughout this report, we refer to survey respondents
who were returned to prison for a new crime as new
crime respondents. This group includes individuals
originally released to parole supervision (new crime
parole violators) as well as those who were not
released to parole (new crime only respondents).
Technical violators refer to individuals whose parole
has been revoked for a violation of one or more technical
conditions of parole supervision. Parole violators who
have been returned to prison for a new arrest are not
included in this group.

178 RESPONDENTS

Technical Violators New Crime Respondents
n = 83
n = 95

New Crime Parole Violators
n = 46

New Crime Only
n = 49

Organization of Report
This report begins by presenting demographic and criminal history information on the prisoners
in our sample. Section II examines the circumstances surrounding the previous DOC
incarceration from which respondents were released. Section III discusses the experiences and
challenges that respondents faced in the community after they were previously released. Section
IV explores the respondents’ criminal activity between incarcerations, gathered through selfreports and data from the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) database, as well as the
circumstances surrounding the events that led to their return to prison. Section V explores the
experience on parole supervision; and finally, Section VI discusses respondents’ perspectives on
overcoming future challenges when they are released. The report ends with a summary of the
findings and a brief discussion of their implications.

The DOC considers any individual who has been released to parole supervision and is returned to the DOC while still on parole a parole
violator. Parole violators can be returned on a technical violation, an arrest for a new crime, or a combination of both. Initially, parole violators
are held as parole detainees for up to 15 days until they receive a hearing by the Parole Board; following this hearing, they are either released
back to parole supervision or their parole is revoked. In this study, new crime parole violators are defined as respondents in our sample who were
released to parole supervision and returned to prison as parole violators resulting from an arrest for a new crime (in addition to any other
violation).
14

Although probation plays a role in postrelease supervision—20 to 26 percent of those released without parole at the expiration of their
sentence have terms of probation to serve, and at least an additional 10 percent have both probation and parole terms to serve—we did not
address the role of probation in this study. Probation and parole functions are carried out by separate agencies in Massachusetts.

Methodology
The findings presented in this report are the result of surveys conducted with 178 male prisoners returning to state
prison in Massachusetts within three years of their last release from a Massachusetts Department of Correction
(DOC) facility. Survey data were collected through one-on-one interviews conducted at the Massachusetts Correction
Institution at Concord, the state institution that serves as a central intake facility for male offenders committed to DOC
custody. Guideline, an independent research and consulting agency based in Massachusetts, conducted the
interviews between July 2006 and June 2007. Prisoners who were last released within three years, who were age 18
or older, and who were residing in the general population were eligible to participate in the study. All prisoners
meeting the eligibility criteria during the study time period were selected for participation in the study.15 The one-onone interview format and availability of bilingual interviewers for Spanish-speaking inmates helped to reduce
language and literacy barriers, and ensure access to all eligible participants. The interviews were voluntary and no
compensation was offered; still, the overall participation rate was very high. The participation rate among eligible
identified prisoners was 82 percent, including those who either refused or were “no shows.”16 Among those screened
by interviewers, only 8 percent refused to participate in the study.
Survey interviews were completed with 100 new crime participants and 94 technical violators. After interviews were
completed, 15 respondents were determined to be ineligible.17 In addition, one respondent was interviewed twice
because he had been reincarcerated twice during the interview period. We chose to include his first interview in the
sample. The resulting sample of 178 respondents is made up of 95 individuals reincarcerated due to an arrest for a
new crime (“new crime respondent”) and 83 individuals who were reincarcerated due to a violation of a technical
parole condition (“technical violator”).
In the sample, 129 of the 178 respondents (72 percent) were on parole at the time of their return to prison. At various
points in the report, we compare the experiences of those on parole supervision with those not on parole supervision.
In these analyses, we further separate the sample into three groups: individuals who returned to prison solely
because of a technical violation (n = 83); individuals returning for a new crime and a parole violation (“new crime
parole violators”) (n = 46); and individuals returning solely for conviction of a new crime (“new crime only”) (n = 49).18
For further clarification on these three groups, see definition of terms.
In addition to survey data, we analyzed Massachusetts Department of Correction administrative data on respondents'
incarceration circumstances. This data included information on the offenses leading to respondents' initial
incarceration, basic demographics, the dates of release and readmission to prison, and whether respondents were
released to parole.
Criminal history data were obtained from the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) database.
CORI comprises data submitted on all crimes committed in Massachusetts where an arraignment is held. An
arraignment is the process of formally charging an individual with a crime in a court of law. One arraignment
corresponds to one criminal charge against an individual. If a single incident contains multiple counts, each count is
considered a separate charge and a separate arraignment. An individual is often arraigned for numerous offenses on
the same date for the same incident.
When interpreting this report, it is important to keep in mind that this research is based on a limited sample of men
returning to the Massachusetts Department of Correction, and one that is not necessarily representative of the total
Massachusetts recidivist cohort or the Massachusetts prison population more generally. In most instances we
include total numbers (“n”) as well as percentages to keep this fact in the forefront. While we report all differences in
numbers and percentages in tables and charts, we emphasize in the text only those differences that are statistically
significant.

Originally, we sought to interview 100 new crime respondents and 100 technical violators, expecting to oversample for technical violators.
However, midway through the interviews, recidivist admissions slowed markedly, and we continued to accept all recidivist admissions for
participation in the study.
16

Prisoners identified as eligible for the study were scheduled by DOC staff to meet with interviewers, at which time prisoners were given
information and invited to participate. Appearance at this meeting was not mandatory, however, and some prisoners who were scheduled to meet
with interviewers did not do so for reasons unknown. These were classified as “no shows.”
17

Twelve respondents were found to have been out of prison for longer than the maximum three-year period; three additional respondents who
were initially in the technical violator sample had, in fact, been previously released to probation, not parole.
18

In total, 134 respondents in our sample (75 percent) had been paroled from their previous incarceration; however, 5 of these respondents had
completed their parole supervision before being arrested and convicted for the crime that led to their reincarceration. These 5 individuals are
categorized as new crime only respondents. Unless otherwise noted, our analyses of respondents on parole does not include those 5 respondents.

SECTION I.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS AND CRIMINAL
HISTORIES OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS?
Characteristics
The average age among respondents was 35 years. About half of respondents (53 percent) were
white (figure 1). Less than a third (29 percent) were black, and less than a fifth (17 percent)
identified themselves as Hispanic. Most respondents (76 percent) had never been married (figure
2). Twelve percent were married at the time of the interview, and 10 percent were divorced or
separated. Over two-thirds (68 percent) had children, and 62 percent had children under 18.
More than two-thirds (67 percent) had graduated from high school or earned a GED.
Figure 1. Race and Ethnicity (n = 178)

Hispanic
17%

Other
1%

White
53%

Figure 2. Marital Status (n = 178)

Divorced Other
2%
7%
Separated
3%
Married
12%

Black
29%
Single
76%

Source: Massachusetts Department of Correction
Administrative Data

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism
Survey

Criminal Histories
Respondents had considerable prior involvement with the criminal justice system. As shown in
table 1, respondents averaged 47 arraignments and four incarcerations prior to their last
incarceration. Respondents also became involved in the justice system at an early point in their
lives, with an average of six juvenile arraignments. New crime respondents and technical
violators had similar criminal histories; however, new crime only respondents had significantly
more juvenile arraignments than technical violators.

Table 1. Criminal Histories: Averages for Technical Violators, New Crime Parole Violators and New
Crime Only Respondents
All
respondents
(n = 178)

Technical
violators
(n = 83)

New crime
(parole)
(n = 46)

New crime
(no parole)
(n = 49)

First arraignment

First drug-related arraignment

First adult alcohol-related arraignment

Juvenile arraignments

Prior adult arraignments

Prior adult incarcerations

Age

Source: CORI Arraignment Records
Note: Multiple arraignments can represent one arrest incident.

Companion Report

Sample Representativeness

Two reports resulted from the Massachusetts
Prisoner Recidivism Study. In addition to this
report, a companion report, Massachusetts
Recidivism Study: A Closer Look at Releases
and Returns to Prison1, presents an analysis of
administrative data on the Massachusetts
Department of Correction 2002 release cohort
and compares recidivists with nonrecidivists. This
analysis provides context for the recidivism
survey and also expands on analyses of static
data.

In order to assess the representativeness of our
recidivist study sample, we compare the characteristics
of this group with a larger cohort of male recidivists
released from the Massachusetts Department of
Correction in 2002 and returned to prison within three
years. While survey respondents and 2002 recidivists
were generally similar in demographics and criminal
histories, the biggest difference between the two
groups is the share that was released to parole
supervision. Forty percent of recidivists in the 2002
release cohort had been released to parole compared
with 75 percent in the survey sample.1

Kohl, Rhiana, Hollie Matthews Hoover, and Susan
McDonald (2008). Massachusetts Recidivism Study: A
Closer Look at Releases and Returns to Prison.
Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

For more information on how recidivists compare to
nonrecidivists, see the analysis by the Department of
Correction in the companion report, Massachusetts
Recidivism Study: A Closer Look at Releases and
Returns to Prison.
1

In Massachusetts, parole is entirely discretionary. The Parole
Board is charged with determining the suitability of a prisoner's
parole based on whether there is a reasonable probability that the
individual will live in freedom without breaking the law. As a
result, the highest risk offenders may be less likely to be paroled
than lower level offenders. At the same time, parolees are more
likely than those released without parole supervision to be
reincarcerated for either a technical violation or a new crime.

SECTION II.

WHAT WERE THE EXPERIENCES OF SURVEY
RESPONDENTS DURING THEIR PREVIOUS DOC
INCARCERATION?
Offense Type, Sentence Length, and Time Served
During the incarceration from which respondents were most recently released (i.e., the previous
incarceration), their average time served was more than three years. Figure 3 shows that half of
all respondents (48 percent) were convicted of a crime against a person (e.g. homicide, robbery,
assault).19 Another quarter of respondents (22 percent) were convicted for drug-related offenses.
Most of the remaining respondents were convicted of property offenses (17 percent) and a small
portion committed a sex offense (5 percent).
Table 2 displays the average time served by offense type. The technical violators and new crime
respondents were generally comparable along these lines. Although relatively few committed sex
offenses (n = 9), these respondents served the longest sentences.
Figure 3. Offenses Leading to Previous
Incarceration (n = 167)

Table 2. Mean Time Served for Previous
Incarceration (n = 178)

Person

Time served
(months)
46

Drug

Property

Sex

Other

Average

Offense type
Other, 1%
Sex, 5%
Unknow n,
7%
Property,
17%

Person,
48%

Drug, 22%

Source: Massachusetts Department of Correction Administrative Data
Note: Percentages refer to the governing offense.

Data on offenses leading to previous incarceration reflect the governing offense, which is the offense associated with the longest maximum
release date. In most cases, Massachusetts prisoners are serving time for an incident that resulted in more than one offense.

Programming
Nearly all (96 percent) respondents reported that they participated in some type of in-prison
programming during their previous incarceration. Many participated in multiple programs, with
90 percent of respondents taking more than one program, and over half (57 percent) participating
in more than three in-prison programs. The most commonly cited program type was substance
abuse treatment, with over two-thirds (77 percent) participating in Alcohol and/or Narcotics
Anonymous (AA/NA) or another substance abuse program (figure 4). Many prisoners also
participated in anger management (56 percent), Correctional Recovery Academy20 substance
abuse (52 percent), and faith-based or spiritual programs (50 percent). Of those participating in a
General Education Development program, more than half (56 percent) earned a GED certificate
during their last prison stay.
Figure 4. Program Participation During Previous Incarceration (n = 178)
77

Substance abuse program (e.g., AA)
56

Anger management
52

Correctional Recovery Academy

Faith-based/spiritual program
38

Mental health counseling
34

GED/basic education
27

Vocational/job training
24

Parenting skills
5

College-level education

Sex offender treatment
0

Percent

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey

The Correctional Recovery Academy (CRA) is one of nine skill-based residential programs the DOC provides that target substance abuse,
anger management, criminal thinking, and relapse prevention. Substance abuse monitoring is a major component of CRA, which the DOC
developed in collaboration with Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.

Reentry Preparation
Three-quarters (76 percent) of respondents received some type of transitional assistance
specifically designed to prepare them for release to the community.21 The most common type of
prerelease assistance was the DOC’s transition workshop, in which 65 percent of respondents
participated.22 Almost half of respondents (44 percent) reported being offered more than one
prerelease transition program or service. Of these, prisoners reported that the most helpful
services were the transition workshop and working one-on-one with a transition planner.
Of those who received transitional assistance, most (82 percent) started prerelease preparation
more than a month before their release. Over half (56 percent) began prerelease programming or
services more than three months before release, and a quarter (26 percent) reported first
receiving transitional assistance more than six months before release.
Transitional assistance covered a range of topics, most commonly immediate plans after release,
access to health care and substance abuse treatment, and finding a place to live. Thirty-nine
percent of those receiving transitional assistance reported receiving a referral for services in the
community as part of this assistance. Of those who received referrals, almost half (46 percent)
reported following up with the community provider.23

All inmates released from the DOC are triaged by facility staff and receive a reentry plan. Though efforts are made to include the inmate in the
transition planning process, inmate participation varies and many refuse assistance.
22

The now 10-day transition workshop meets for 2.5 hours per day and is offered to inmates who are within one year of their earliest possible
release date, including their parole eligibility; therefore, they may be released later or much earlier than a year after participating in the workshop.
During the workshop, transition planners assist inmates in developing the necessary skills for successful transition back into the community.
Inmates also receive assistance in developing a comprehensive discharge plan that addresses such issues as housing, employment, vocational, and
job readiness skills; financial and money management skills; family transition and community involvement; recovery support systems; and
attainable goal setting. The Transition Workshop expanded from 5 to 10 days in July 2007, after the period during which all survey respondents
would have participated. One of the major components added in this expansion focuses on enhancing employability.
23

This question was limited to only respondents who participated in transition services while in DOC and received a referral. Additional
respondents may have received community service referrals through other sources.

There were no significant differences in the rate of follow-up between those released to parole supervision and those who were not, which is
notable given program participation is often a condition of parole. Nor was there a difference in follow-up rates between those reincarcerated for
technical violations versus new crimes.

SECTION III.

WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CHALLENGES
FACED IN THE COMMUNITY?
The following section examines the circumstances surrounding respondents’ lives in the
community after they were released and before they returned to prison. On average, respondents
were in the community for 12 months before returning to prison.24 We explore the challenges and
opportunities that respondents face in the community, their prosocial as well as negative
behaviors, and their support networks in order to understand factors that may contribute to
recidivism. We also compare the experiences of technical violators with those who were returned
to prison for a new arrest or conviction of a new crime and the characteristics of those under
parole supervision compared with those who are not supervised by parole.

Housing, Neighborhood and Peer Influence
Few respondents reported having difficulty finding housing after their last release. Only 16
percent reported having trouble finding a place to live, typically because they lacked money for
rent or a deposit. During most of their time in the community, 37 percent of respondents lived in
their own house or apartment, and 22 percent lived in the home of a family member (figure 5). A
significant portion of respondents lived at a friend’s home (14 percent) or in some kind of
transitional housing or halfway house (10 percent). Two percent reported they were homeless.
Though most respondents found housing, this housing may not have been stable. Over half (57
percent) moved at least once during their time in the community, and nearly a quarter (23
percent) moved more than once.

The median is 9 months, and the mean is 12 months.

Figure 5. Housing Arrangement during Most of the Time in Community, by Housing Type (n = 178)

Their ow n place

Family's home

Friend's home

Transitional housing/halfw ay house

10
8

Residential treatment
7

Other
Rooming house/hotel

Homeless

2
0

Percent
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: Categories are mutually exclusive. The sum of categories is greater than 100 percent due to nearest integer
rounding.

At the time of arrest or technical violation, most respondents (85 percent) did not live alone,
reporting most commonly that they lived with intimate partners (41 percent), friends (15 percent)
or other family members—either in their own homes or the homes of others. While this signals
some support in the community, it may also be a source of negative influence. Nearly half of all
respondents (49 percent) lived at some time with someone who had a problem with drinking or
drug use. Over a third (38 percent) lived with someone who had served time in jail or prison.
After their most recent release from prison, only a third of respondents (33 percent) returned to
the neighborhood they had lived in before prison.25 When asked about their primary reason for
moving to a different neighborhood, about a third (29 percent) reported that they had relocated to
stay out of trouble, and nearly a fifth (19 percent) reported relocating to stay with their families
(table 3). Over half (59 percent) said that it was difficult to find a job in their neighborhoods, and
nearly a third (30 percent) felt it was difficult to avoid crime and drugs in their neighborhood.

Respondents were asked if the neighborhood they returned to was the same they had lived in prior to prison. Because there was no standard
definition for “neighborhood,” responses could indicate geographic or political boundaries, a different area within the same community, or a
different block within the same neighborhood.

Table 3. Primary Reasons for Returning or Relocating (n = 177)
Percent

Returned to same
neighborhood

Where they lived before
Be with family or friends
Nowhere else to go

42
34
14

25
20
8

Parole requirement

Close to workplace
Ease of transportation

3
2

2
1

Moved to a different
neighborhood
Stay away from trouble
Be with family or friends
Attend drug treatment
Lost housing/no other
housing available
Relationship problems
Stay away from drugs
Move to better
neighborhhood
Parole requirement
Live closer to services
Get a fresh start
Live closer to job

Percent

118

29
19
11

34
23
13

7
6

8
7

5
3
3
3

6
4
3
3

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: Data on one of the respondents is missing

Respondents gave a mixed picture of whether negative peer influence was a factor in their lives
after release. Nearly half said that most or all of their friends had sold drugs or spent time in
prison or jail. Yet, 39 percent of respondents said that most or all of their friends were people
they could hang out with and not worry about getting into trouble. Over half (54 percent)
reported that most or all of their friends were employed.

Substance Use in the Month before Reincarceration
Over two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) reported drunkenness or illegal drug use in the
month before reincarceration. Nearly half (44 percent) reported intoxication or drug use several
times a week, and over a third (38 percent) reported daily substance abuse. The most common
drugs used were cocaine (38 percent) and marijuana (36 percent) (figure 6).

Figure 6. Substance Use in the Month before Reincarceration by Substance Type (n = 177)
18

Cocaine

Marijuana

Alcohol intoxication
11

Heroin

Frequent use
Less frequent use

5 2 7

Methampetamine/amphetamine

All substances
0

23
50

67
70

Percent

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: Frequent use was defined as using more than once per week. Data on one of the respondents is missing.

The self-reported rates of substance use among the three groups—new crime only respondents,
new crime parole violators, and technical parole violators—show a great deal of variation. New
crime only respondents were much more likely than others to report daily substance abuse
(figure 7). New crime parole violators were the least likely to report daily substance abuse, and
the most likely to report no substance use at all.

Figure 7. Substance Use in the Month before Reincarceration by Frequency of Use and
Respondent Type (n = 178)

Technical violator

New crime (parole)

New crime (no parole)

All respondents

Daily

2 83

Weekly

Once or twice

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey

Forty percent of all respondents reported having difficulties before they returned to prison that
were related to or resulting from their drug and alcohol use. The most common issues cited were
relationship problems (26 percent), arguments at home caused by drinking or drug use (25
percent), arguments about respondents’ substance use (23 percent), and problems at work (16
percent).26 Importantly, more than half of new crime respondents (61 percent) had been
intoxicated or had used illegal drugs in the 24-hour period preceding the offense that led to their
reincarceration.
Overall, nearly half of all respondents (47 percent) reported attending some type of substance
abuse program (including AA or NA) in the month before reincarceration. This group was split
between those who reported that they were in treatment because they felt they needed it (48
percent), and those who attended treatment because of legal or parole supervision requirements
(50 percent). Respondents on parole were more likely to report participating in a substance
abuse program (55 percent) than those who were not on parole (24 percent). Those who reported
using drugs and alcohol frequently were less likely to report participating in a substance abuse
program in the month before reincarceration (32 percent). However, 62 percent of frequent users
reported that they had wanted or attempted to stop using in the month before reincarceration, but
were unable to do so.

The new crime and technical violator groups reported similar rates for all of these problems; however, new crime respondents were
significantly more likely to report fights, property damage, or arrest resulting from drug and alcohol use.

Employment and Finances
Most respondents (77 percent) were employed at some point between release and
reincarceration. However, only 56 percent were employed at the time of arrest, suggesting the
difficulty of maintaining steady employment for many respondents in our sample. Those who
held a job at any time were employed for about 60 percent of their time in the community. Of
those employed, most (83 percent) were working full-time. Nearly half (41 percent) were
working in construction. No other occupation—including food service, maintenance, auto repair,
warehouse work, and retail—accounted for more than 10 percent of reported jobs. The median
wage for those employed at the time of arrest was $13.00 per hour. Although parole supervision
conditions may require individuals to maintain employment, no significant differences existed in
employment rates between those under parole supervision and those not under parole
supervision.
Of the quarter of respondents (23 percent) not employed at any time in the community, twothirds reported spending time looking for a job. While a few were disabled, in residential
treatment, or did not want to work, most stated that they tried but could not find employers who
would hire them. Most respondents (68 percent)—even those who did find employment—felt
that their criminal record had affected their ability to find work. Responses between the technical
violator and new crime respondent groups were nearly identical in this respect.
Legal employment was the primary source of income for the majority of respondents (56
percent); however, one in ten reported illegal activities and under-the-table work as their primary
source of income during their time in the community. One in ten also reported financial
assistance from family or friends as their primary source of income. Fewer than 5 percent relied
on Social Security or other public assistance. The median income from all sources was $2,200
per month.
Over two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) owed some form of debt at the time of their
reincarceration. Criminal justice supervision fees were by far the most common form of debt (48
percent), followed by consumer debt (25 percent), court costs (19 percent) and child support (19
percent). The median amount of debt owed was $2,000.

Family Relationships and Support
Family relationships and support were strong for respondents in our sample. Most (86 percent)
reported that their families had been helpful during their transition from prison, particularly in
providing housing and emotional support. In accordance with the high level of family support
and assistance, most respondents (76 percent) reported having more than one close family
relationship. During their time in the community, respondents had the most contact with intimate
partners (33 percent), mothers (26 percent), and sisters (11 percent). Nonetheless, there was
some evidence of family conflict. One in ten respondents reported that a family member had
threatened, harassed, or physically hurt them in the month prior to reincarceration, and more than
one in ten reported having no close family relationships.
Of respondents with children under 18 years old, about a third (31 percent) were living with their
children at the time of arrest. Most fathers (70 percent) said that it was easy for their children to
adjust to their return from prison. While two-thirds of fathers had spent time with their children
18

on at least a weekly basis in the month prior to their reincarceration, nearly one in five (19
percent) had not seen their children at all.

Health and Medical Care
Well over a third of respondents (42 percent) reported a health condition requiring treatment or
medication. Of these, more than a third had difficulty getting medical treatment or prescription
drugs. While lack of insurance was cited as one of the most common reasons for difficulty
accessing care or medicines, 84 percent of respondents with health conditions reported having
some type of health coverage. Among all respondents, about three-quarters (74 percent) reported
having some kind of health care coverage while in the community. Over half of all respondents
(57 percent) were insured by Mass Health. Others reported having insurance through a job (11
percent), Medicare (5 percent), other source (6 percent), or a family member (5 percent).
Over a third of respondents (41 percent) used emergency room care at some time while in the
community.27 Fourteen percent of respondents had been hospitalized for a physical health
problem. Respondents with and without reported health problems were equally likely to be
hospitalized.

Involvement in Community Programs and Services
More than three-quarters of respondents (79 percent) were involved in some type of community
program or service. About 21 percent of all respondents reported receiving a referral from DOC
for these programs—most often for substance abuse treatment.28 Among all respondents, the
most common programs individuals participated in were AA/NA (64 percent), counseling (31
percent), and employment skills, employment readiness, or job placement (25 percent). Those
under parole supervision were more likely to report participating in community-based programs
than respondents who were not under parole supervision (table 4).

There appears to be no connection between emergency room use and whether respondents had health insurance, or between emergency room
use and the type of coverage among those insured. Those respondents with health problems requiring care and medication also used emergency
room services at the same rate as those without self-reported health problems.

This may include referrals provided through formal prerelease transition programs or other DOC social services or discharge planning;
therefore, this figure is different than the percentage reporting referrals through transition programs.

Table 4. Community-Based Program Participation by Release Status
All respondents (percent)

All
respondents
(n = 178)

Parole
(n = 134)

Nonparole
(n = 44)

Any program

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)

Counseling/mental health

Employment skills/readiness or
job placement

Trade/job training

Other substance abuse treatment

Anger management

Life skills

Parenting

ESL

GED/basic education

Program

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: We asked this question of all respondents who were released to parole supervision, regardless of their
supervision status upon return to prison. In this table, the nonparole group includes the 5 new crime only respondents
who had completed their parole supervision before being arrested and convicted for the crime that led to their
reincarceration.

Overall, about half of respondents (49 percent) reported wanting to participate in certain
programs but being unable to do so.29 The most common desired, yet not accessed, programs
were trade or job training (46 percent), employment readiness (40 percent), and life skills (29
percent).
Forty percent of all respondents were involved with some type of civic, religious, or other
community-based group, most often a church or other religious organization (20 percent) or
sports team (7 percent). One in five (20 percent) had a mentor or case manager in the

The survey did not ask respondents why they were unable to participate in programs in which they were interested; however, speculations as to
possible reasons include too few program slots, program schedules that interfered with work, and program cost.

community.30 These mentors and case managers were most often affiliated with transitional
housing, a substance abuse treatment program, or a faith-based or religious organization.

Nonwork Activities
Respondents engaged in a range of activities during their free time. On average, respondents
reported spending the most hours per week doing things with their families and friends (figure
8). The average respondent reported spending 10 hours per week engaged in such activities as
sports or rehabilitative and self-improvement programs, but also reported spending 9 hours
“doing nothing” and 14 hours watching television. Overall, respondents reported spending an
average of 30 hours a week engaging in unstructured and/or unproductive activities and an
average of 12 hours involved in more positive self-improvement activities.31
Figure 8. Hours Per Week Spent on Nonwork Activities (n = 178)
18

Spending time w ith family
16

Spending time w ith kids
15

Hanging w ith friends

Watching TV
9

Doing nothing
7

At bar/club/partying
Playing sport

At rehab or other self-improvement

5
2

Volunteer in community
0

Average Hours Per Week
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: Average hours per week are based on mean values.

Not including parole and probation officers.

Respondents under parole supervision reported spending more hours per week in structured, prosocial activities than those not under parole
supervision. However, these differences are not statistically significant.

SECTION IV.

WHAT WAS THE EXTENT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN
INCARCERATIONS?
To help understand the events and circumstances that led to respondents’ return to prison, we
examined criminal activity in the community. Examining respondents’ self-reported illegal
activities allows us to see patterns in the type and timing of criminal activity, to explore
underlying criminal behavior among technical violators, and to draw comparisons between
technical violators and those reincarcerated for a new crime.
Arraignment data from the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) database provided
additional information on the type of criminal activities in which respondents engaged while in
the community and the amount of formal contact they had with the criminal justice system
before their return to prison. Together, these data yield a more comprehensive picture of
respondents’ criminal activity between incarcerations.

Self-Reported Criminal Activity
Over a third of respondents (41 percent) reported that they had committed some type of crime
while in the community.32 The proportion of respondents self-reporting any crime was
substantially higher among those who returned to prison for a new crime (57 percent) compared
with the 22 percent of technical violators who admitted to criminal activity while in the
community. Looked at through a different lens, respondents who were not on parole supervision
were far more likely to report committing crime in the community (78 percent) than both
technical violators and new crime parole violators (35 percent) (table 5).33 Drug sales or
distribution was by far the most common self-reported crime type among all respondents (28
percent).34

Research has shown that individuals generally underreport their involvement in criminal activity. However, consistent patterns emerge
between CORI data and the self-reports of new crime respondents and those of technical violators.
33
Multivariate analysis revealed that being under parole supervision (either as a technical violator or new crime parole violator) predicted the
amount of self-reported crime between incarcerations. The differences between these groups of respondents remained when controlling for the
effects of other factors known to predict recidivism (e.g., respondents’ criminal histories, age at first arraignment, and age at last prison release).
34

The survey did not ask about drug possession.

Table 5. Percentage of Respondents Self-Reporting Any Crime (Whether Arrested or Not)
All
respondents
(n = 178)

Technical
violators
(n = 83)

New crime
(parole)
(n = 46)

New crime
(no parole)
(n = 49)

41
28
6
11
7
6
2
1
6

22
18
0
2
1
1
1
0
1

35
13
2
13
4
2
0
0
12

78
59
20
22
21
19
4
2
8

Any crime type
Drug sales
Burglary
Assault
Robbery
Car theft
Domestic
Homicide
Other

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: These offense categories are not mutually exclusive.

In order to find out whether these results were a function of the fact that new crime only
respondents were in the community longer than parolees (as discussed later in this section), we
also looked at self-reported criminal activity during respondents' first 6 months out of prison
following their previous incarceration. The findings were consistent—65 percent of new crime
only respondents reported committing at least one crime during those initial 6 months out of
prison compared with 17 percent of new crime parole violators and 14 percent of technical
violators.
The amount of time after release within which respondents committed their first offense varied
by crime type (figure 9). One out of four respondents who reported dealing drugs committed this
offense within 48 hours of release. An additional 22 percent reported selling drugs between one
and four weeks after release and another 33 percent between one and six months. By contrast,
most of those who reported committing robbery and assault did so after the first month out, and
all car thefts were reportedly committed between one and six months after release.
Figure 9. Time to Commit First Self-Reported Crime by Type

Number of Respondents

48 Hours
1 Week
1 Month
6 Months
> 6 Months

20
16

15
12

10
7

5
3 3

0 0 0

Robbery

Car theft

4 4
1

1 1

0 0

0 0 0

Other

Domestic

0 0 0

0
Drug dealing

Assault

Burglary

Homicide

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey

Contact with the Criminal Justice System Prior to Reincarceration
Overall, CORI data show that respondents had an average of four arraignments between
incarcerations.35 There were substantial differences across respondent groups: new crime only
respondents had an average of 10 arraignments; new crime parole violators had 3; and technical
violators averaged less than 1 arraignment between incarcerations (table 6). Technical violators
and new crime parole violators—i.e., the parolees—had substantially fewer arraignments
between incarcerations than new crime only respondents. Between CORI records and the selfreported data, these findings suggest that respondents without supervision who returned to prison
for a new crime engaged in more criminal activity than the paroled recidivists.36
Table 6. Number of Arraignment Charges Between Incarcerations by Respondent Type

Arraignments between
incarcerations

All
respondents
(n = 178)

Technical
violators
(n = 83)

New crime
(parole)
(n = 46)

New crime
(no parole)
(n = 49)

Source: CORI Arraignment Records

Type of Criminal Activity
New crime respondents were arraigned for a variety of offenses.37 Figure 10 illustrates the
offense categories for new crime respondents’ first arraignment after release. Exactly one-third
were arrested for crimes against property while crimes against persons (18 percent) and drugrelated crimes (17 percent) each made up about a fifth of the offenses.38 Compared with the
governing offense that led to their previous incarceration, fewer respondents were first arraigned
for crimes against people and more were arraigned for property offenses.

Arraignments do not necessarily correspond to arrest incidents. One arraignment corresponds to one criminal charge against an individual. A
single incident can result in multiple charges, and each charge is counted as a separate arraignment. Therefore, one arrest can result in multiple
arraignments.

We tested whether new crime only respondents had more arraignments between incarcerations simply because they had a longer average
amount of time between incarcerations. Separate analyses demonstrated that the number of arrests per month actually decreased as respondents’
time out of prison increased. These same analyses showed that respondents who were released to parole and returned to prison for a technical
violation or a new crime parole violation had lower rates of arraignments per month than new crime only respondents. The differences in
arraignments between these groups of respondents remained even when controlling for other factors known to predict recidivism (e.g.,
respondents’ criminal histories, age at first arraignment, and age at last prison release).
37

Information on respondents’ first arraignment after release is only included for new crime respondents because the number of technical
violators with arraignments between incarcerations was too small for analysis.
38

Sixteen percent of new crime respondents committed a crime out of state, and data on their offenses were not available.

Figure 10. Offense Categories for First Arraignment after Release for New Crime Respondents
(n = 95)
50

Percent

33
30

16
7

5
2

0
Property

Person

Drugs

Motor
vehicle

Other

Alcohol

Prostitution Weapons

Out of
state

Offense Category
Source: CORI Arraignment Records

Circumstances that Led to Reincarceration
Time to Reincarceration
Overall, respondents spent an average of one year in the community before being reincarcerated.
New crime respondents, regardless of their supervision status, were in the community longer
than technical violators (15 months and 9 months, respectively). Looked at differently, those
released without parole supervision spent considerably more time in the community (more than
19 months) than those released to parole—more than twice as long as technical violators and
nearly twice as long as new crime parole violators (11 months). The differences in time out of
prison between new crime parole violators and new crime only respondents is likely due to
differences in court processing. Parolees whose parole is revoked on the basis of a new arrest are
typically returned to prison immediately, whereas released prisoners not under parole supervision
at the time of rearrest must be convicted and sentenced before returning to prison.
Problems and Emotional State Leading up to the Return to Prison
When asked what types of problems respondents were experiencing at the time of the arrest or
technical violation resulting in reincarceration, the most common responses were problems with
drugs or alcohol (28 percent), work (27 percent), money (25 percent), and emotional problems
(19 percent) (figure 11). When asked about their emotional state at the time of the arrest or
technical violation, more than half reported that they were stressed out (57 percent) and more
than a third reported general anger or frustration (37 percent).

Figure 11. Problems and Emotional States at the Time of Arrest or Technical Violation Leading to
Reincarceration (n = 178)
Problems at Time of Arrest or Violation
Alcohol/drugs
Work
Financial
Emotional
Significant other
Housing
Debts
Parole
Family
Health
Child support
Friends

Emotional State at Time of Arrest or Violation

Stressed out

57
37

General anger or frustration

Anger at a specific person

19
17

Need for money

Out of control

15
13

Boredom/need

Other

19
16
5

Peer pressure

6
4

Sexual need/frustration

Percent

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: The categories in figure 11 are not mutually exclusive. Respondents were permitted multiple responses.

When asked about their thought process before and during the act that resulted in their arrest and
reincarceration, nearly two-thirds of new crime respondents (63 percent) reported that they had
not worried about getting caught when they committed the offense. Over half of new crime
respondents (57 percent) reported that something could have prevented them from committing
the act. When asked what could have deterred them, common responses were employment,
children, and sobriety.

SECTION V.

WHAT WERE THE EXPERIENCES OF RESPONDENTS ON
PAROLE SUPERVISION?
Three-quarters of respondents (75 percent) had been paroled from their previous incarceration.39
In addition to the technical parole violators—who by definition were released to supervision—
more than half of those in our sample who were reincarcerated for a new crime had been released
to parole. Of those released to parole and returned for a new crime, the vast majority (96 percent)
were still under supervision when they were reincarcerated for the new arrest.

Interactions with Parole Officers
Of the respondents on parole at the time they were reincarcerated, more than three-quarters (79
percent) had seen their parole officer at least once in the month prior to reincarceration.40 One in
five (19 percent) had seen their parole officer at least once a week, and one-quarter (25 percent)
had seen their officer two or three times (figure 12). One in five had not seen their officers at all
in the month before their return to prison. Over 70 percent reported that their parole officers had
visited them at least once in the month prior to reincarceration, and over a third had been visited
several times over the past month. The majority of parolees who reported meeting with their
parole officer in the past month (88 percent) reported that these face-to-face meetings lasted 30
minutes or less. In addition to office and field visits, the majority (55 percent) had spoken to their
parole officers several times on the telephone within the month before reincarceration.41
Figure 12. Frequency of Contact with Parole Officer in the Month before Reincarceration (n = 129)
70
60

Telephone contact

Face-to-face contact
(appointment or home/w ork visit)

50
40
30

29
21

25
19

16
4

10
0
None

Once

2-3 times

Once a w eek
or more

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey

As noted in the sample representativeness sidebar, the share of our study sample released to parole supervision is not representative of the
general DOC population released to parole, which is about one-third of all releases.
40

This includes both office and field visits.

There were no significant differences between technical violators and new crime parole violators in the amount of reported contact with parole
officers in the month before reincarceration.

Most of those who were on parole reported positive opinions of their experience on parole. The
vast majority of respondents on parole found their parole officers to be respectful toward them
(89 percent), trustworthy (80 percent), helpful in providing information (75 percent), and helpful
in transitioning them to the community from prison (76 percent). More than half of respondents
also found supervision to have helped them stay free of crime and drugs. These responses did not
differ significantly between technical violators and new crime parole violators.

Parole Conditions and Compliance
In addition to the standard conditions imposed by the parole board,42 almost all parolees (96
percent) reported that their parole officers imposed additional “special” conditions. The most
common were drug testing (91 percent), alcohol testing (73 percent), substance abuse counseling
(53 percent), and no contact/association orders (32 percent).
Fifty-five percent of respondents released to parole reported violating at least one condition
during their time in the community, whether or not they were caught. By far the most common
self-reported violation was failure to report for drug testing. More than two-fifths of those on
parole reported violating this condition at least once.
Nearly a quarter (25 percent) of all respondents released to parole reported having received a
warning or sanction for a parole violation, not including the violation that resulted in their return
to prison. A positive alcohol or drug test was the most common violation resulting in a warning
or sanction. Over a third of respondents under parole supervision had tested positive at least once
without resulting in a parole revocation.

Violation Type, Trigger, and Detection
When asked about the technical violations that resulted in their parole revocation, the two most
common responses were positive tests for drugs or alcohol (53 percent) and failing to report to
their parole officer (33 percent) (figure 13). In two-thirds of cases (65 percent), the respondent’s
parole officer detected the violation. Ten percent reported that the police detected the violation.
Of the remainder, many reported that other officials, such as program staff or drug treatment
counselors, detected the violation.

In Massachusetts, standard parole conditions include such rules as notifying parole officers of a change in address, paying monthly supervision
fees, reporting to the parole office on the day of release, and making earnest efforts to maintain legitimate employment.

Figure 13. Technical Violations Resulting in Parole Revocation (n = 81)
53

Failed drug test
33

Failure to report to officer
16

Failure to comply w ith electronic monitoring

Failure to comply w ith drug/alcohol restrictions
10

Failure to comply w ith conduct requirements
Associating w ith know n offenders

Failure to notify officer about address change

Failure to report for drug testing

Failure to comply w ith curfew

Failure to secure employment

5
4

Failure to comply w ith no-contact order
Failure to report for counseling

Failure to report for drug/alcohol treatment

2
1

Failure to pay supervision fees
0

Percent
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: Percentages are based on the number of technical violators. Respondents could report multiple types of
technical violations. Data on two technical violators is missing.

Most technical violators (86 percent) reported that while they were in the community under
parole supervision, they had understood the conditions of their parole “very well,” and nearly all
(99 percent) understood their conditions to some degree. More than half (59 percent) of technical
violators reported that while they were in the community, they thought it would be “likely” or
“very likely” that they would eventually be caught violating the conditions of their parole.

Focus Groups with Parole Officers
In 2002, 40 percent of Massachusetts prisoners who were reincarcerated within a year of their release were
returned to prison for a violation of parole, and more than a quarter (28 percent) were returned for a
technical violation. Little data exist concerning the extent of criminal activity associated with technical
violations or whether reincarcerating technical violators enhances public safety. To contribute to an
understanding of the underlying factors associated with technical violations, the research team conducted
two focus groups with parole officers in Massachusetts.43
The research team conducted the two focus group discussions on June 21, 2007, in two regional offices.
The first was held outside Boston (Natick) with 8 participants and the second was held in Worcester with 10
participants. Richard Stroker, senior manager at the Center for Effective Public Policy, facilitated the two
sessions. The focus group discussion sought the parole officers’ perspective on the needs and problems
facing parolees and factors that lead individuals to succeed or fail; the underlying behavior driving technical
violations and how parole officers typically respond to failure and success; and how parole supervision can
be most helpful in addressing parolees’ needs and ensuring public safety.

Background on Participants
Most of the focus group participants were veterans in the field, many having come from the Massachusetts
Department of Corrections prior to joining parole. Participants had a range of experience from six months to
25 years with the Parole Board, and as many as 35 years in corrections and parole combined. Most parole
officers in the focus groups had a nonspecialized, mixed caseload that was geographically-based.
Nonspecialized caseload sizes ranged from 40 to as many as 80 cases. Participants included a mix of
supervisors and line staff, including “reentry officers” working at a Regional Reentry Center.

Needs and Problems Facing Parolees
Substance Abuse
In both focus groups, parole officers overwhelmingly agreed that substance abuse, along with employment,
were the central and most pervasive challenges facing parolees. Parole officers reported that the vast
majority of their caseloads had problems related to substance abuse. However, parole officers estimated
that less than 20 percent of parolees on their caseload receive substantial treatment. One reason cited for
the low levels of treatment participation is the limited availability of treatment programs, especially residential
treatment.
While parole officers acknowledged a need for residential drug treatment programs both during and after
prison, they emphasized the importance of treating individuals in the community as opposed to the
controlled environment of prison where they are unable to apply what they learn to real world stresses, such
as paying bills, maintaining personal relationships, and meeting basic survival needs.

Employment
Parole officers stated that finding and sustaining gainful employment is as central a challenge for parolees
as substance abuse. They estimated that 85 to 90 percent of the people on their caseload have a hard time
finding meaningful employment. When they do find employment, it is often low-wage, making it difficult to
support themselves and their families.
In addition to providing for themselves and their families, parolees are often faced with overwhelming
financial obligations, including supervision fees, court fines, and restitution. While parole officers
acknowledged that employers’ access to CORI records is an obstacle to employment, they reported that
parolees have very high, often unrealistic expectations and limited education or vocational skills to meet
these expectations.

Although the caseload of parole officers in Massachusetts consists primarily of county-sentenced individuals as opposed to statesentenced, we asked participants to focus their comments on parolees returning from state prison. According to officers, statesentenced parolees, who are returning from state prison, tend to be older and the challenges they face—though the core issues are the
same—tend to be more deeply entrenched than those returning from county houses of correction.

Mental Health
The broad range in type and severity of mental health problems makes it difficult for parole officers to
estimate the prevalence among their caseload; however, they estimated that over half have mental health
problems. According to several parole officers, many parolees with mental health problems have not been
previously diagnosed, and as a result, have not received adequate treatment during incarceration. In these
cases, the Parole Board does not set supervision conditions that require treatment or medication, creating a
challenge for parole officers, who must sometimes work to restructure conditions to address severe mental
health issues. Given limited treatment resources, they focus only on the most serious cases.

Housing
Even though most parolees have some place to go after release, either with families, partners, or friends,
parole officers stated that these places are often not good places for parolees to be. They are often
surrounded by negative influences and the people and places that contributed to their incarceration in the
first place.
Overall, parole officers reported struggling with the lack of resources and referral sources to which they can
connect parolees. While structured housing resources do exist—especially residential treatment and sober
housing programs—they are often removed from the communities where parolees are returning and where
families are located; therefore, many parolees do not complete these programs.

Attitude
Parole officers emphasized the role of an individual’s attitude in his or her success on parole and in the
community. Parolees, consumed with feelings of optimism immediately following release, believe that
everything will fall into place. When they have difficulty finding employment or dealing with old problems,
many realize that the negative circumstances and people in their lives have not changed and, as one parole
officer stated, “If they didn’t have it easy before, they won’t have it easy when they come back.” Parole
officers indicated that the combination of high expectations and low sense of self-worth is detrimental to
many parolees’ success.
Parole officers have found that fear of failure, on the other hand, can often motivate a parolee to comply with
rules and maintain treatment regimens. Some parole officers stated that many parolees are not dissatisfied
enough with the direction of their lives to make any changes. According to parole officers, it is the parolee
who takes things slow and does not try to make up for lost time in prison who has greater long-term
success.

Factors that Lead to Success and Failure
When asked about the first signs of failure, parole officers reported the following: lack of contact or no longer
showing up for appointments; smoking; calls from family members or partners who have not heard from a
parolee or are worried about a parolee’s behavior.
When asked about factors that lead parolees to succeed, parole officers reported the following: attitude,
motivation, and interest in personal success; age; substance abuse under control; steady employment; and
family support.

The Extent to Which Technical Violations Reveal Underlying
Criminal Behavior
Most parole officers believed that technical violations, such as failure to report or attend treatment and other
necessary meetings, are a precursor to criminal activity, especially as it relates to substance use. While they
acknowledged that crimes against persons or property are less likely to underlie technical violations, parole
officers also reported that when parolees start using drugs again, the majority will resort to person or
property crime to feed their addiction.

Responding to failure and success
According to focus group participants, a parole officer is always balancing public safety and an individual’s
chance to be rehabilitated. Most parole officers seemed to view their responsibilities as a hybrid of social
work, service brokerage, and law enforcement.

Use of Graduated Sanctions
Many parole officers agreed that the parole board places too many conditions on supervision, making it
unrealistic for parolees to comply with all conditions and essentially setting them up for failure. To change or
modify conditions, parole officers are required to submit a request through a formal hearing with board
members and the court. However, parole officers reported that they do not need permission to use certain
low-level sanctions, allowing them a tool to address noncompliance with certain conditions.
Parole officers agreed that low-level sanctions are appropriate only under certain circumstances. Failing to
appear for a scheduled appointment and testing positive for heroin each require different responses, and
depending on the frequency and severity of the violation, a community-based or low-level sanction may not
be appropriate. For the first dirty urine, parole officers stated that they usually increase the number of urine
tests required. After the second dirty urine, many parole officers will file a revocation, especially if the
substance is a highly addictive drug, such as heroin or crack. Parole officers stated that with certain drugs,
they know from the first dirty urine that parolees will continue to test positive, especially if they get kicked out
of their treatment program. Parole officers believed that continuing to use a community-based sanction in
such situations is useless because a positive test for an addictive drug will often lead to others and
eventually result in revocation and a return to prison.
The introduction of graduated sanctions is relatively new, and their use is not yet consistent. Parole officers
noted that the use of graduated sanctions depends on the supervisor’s attitude in each regional office as
well as the parole officers’ attitudes. While graduated sanctions can be an effective tool to modify behavior,
parole officers noted that their colleagues may also respond to noncompliant behavior with lower-level
sanctions to avoid the labor-intensive revocation process. Moreover, while graduated sanctions can be more
appropriate in some cases, parole officers stated that there is a point when they must be proactive about
preventing future criminal activity. According to parole officers, revocation in response to certain technical
violations prevents future criminal activity.

Use of Incentives
Parole officers found that informal step-downs, such as easing up on conditions, reducing fees, and
reducing the frequency of required contact, are valuable incentives. However, responding to positive
behavior with graduated incentives may be more arduous for the parole officer than using graduated
sanctions in response to noncompliant behavior because the parole board must approve the removal of any
condition, no matter how informal.
In lieu of formally altering conditions, some parole officers found that verbal positive reinforcement motivates
parolees. For example, one parole officer noted that praising parolees as often as possible for doing
something positive, however minor, such as going to the library or enrolling in classes, can maintain ongoing
success and achievement. Some parole officers noted that parolees are more likely to trust them and
maintain positive activity if they emphasize that the focus of their job is not to catch parolees violating their
conditions but to help parolees achieve success.
Proactively involving a parolee’s family in the supervision process has been an effective approach for many
parole officers. When parolees slip up, they often beg their parole officer not to tell their mother or girlfriend.
Some parole officers have found it helpful to engage family members in the process of holding a parolee
accountable and make sure family members know about the parolee’s behavior.

Thoughts on Improving Community Supervision
Parole officers had several ideas for improving parole supervision. Their primary suggestions related to time
spent in the field with parolees, discretion with supervision conditions, and partnering with other communitybased organizations. Parole officers stated that they would like to spend more time working with parolees
out in the field and less time in the office doing paperwork. At the same time, parole officers recognized that
field supervision requires substantial travel, checking on parolees or parolees’ family members. One parole
officer estimated that he travels close to 200 miles a day on his route, despite the fact that his caseload was
organized geographically.

Parole officers discussed their lack of discretion in determining or altering supervision conditions. Currently,
the Parole Board is responsible for setting conditions, and a parole officer has no authority to modify, add, or
reduce conditions. The process for petitioning the board for a change is cumbersome, lengthy, and often
goes unanswered. Parole officers thought they ought to have some authority within their office to alter or
modify conditions as they become more familiar with the individuals on their caseload. In the view of many
parole officers, the recidivism rate would be lower if parolees did not pile up numerous technical violations
that result from the unreasonable number of conditions tacked on to their supervision.
Parole officers emphasized the importance of expanding and nurturing their partners in the community. To
improve their role as service brokers, parole officers indicated they would benefit from a specialized staff
person whose primary purpose is facilitating contacts to service providers and employment opportunities.
For example, they thought parole outcomes would improve dramatically if a job developer were on staff at
every regional parole office to help parolees find jobs. The local career centers that parolees use as a
referral source have not been very successful in placing parolees in jobs, and parole officers reported having
little time to assist with such needed skills as résumé writing and interviewing.

SECTION VI.

WHAT ARE RESPONDENTS' PERSPECTIVES ON
CHALLENGES AND FUTURE SUCCESS IN THE
COMMUNITY?
The Single Biggest Challenge after Release
After their initial release from prison, respondents reported facing challenges in a range of areas.
When asked about their single biggest challenge in the community, respondents most commonly
answered finding a job (20 percent), staying out of trouble (20 percent), or staying clean and
sober (19 percent). An additional 8 percent reported their biggest challenge was not having
enough money to pay bills or debts, and 7 percent reported problems in their relationships with
family members or intimate partners. Four percent reported problems with finding housing.
Despite their return to prison, 9 percent of respondents reported no great challenge after their
release.

Figure 14. The Single Biggest Challenge after Release
Staying out of prison/staying out of trouble

Finding a job

Staying clean and sober

Nothing

Having enough money/paying bills or debts

Relationships w ith family/partner

7
5

Adjusting to society
4

Finding housing
1

Keeping a job
0

Percent
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey

Services That Were or Would Have Been Helpful after the Previous
Release
Although more than-three quarters of respondents reported some contact or involvement with
community-based services or programs after their last release, far fewer seemed to use those
services. When asked what one service had been most important in assisting them after release,
nearly half (44 percent) reported not having used any service at all.44
Substance abuse treatment was by far the most commonly cited (20 percent) service that had
been most important in assisting respondents after release. Six percent reported that health
insurance had been the most important service. No more than 5 percent reported any other
program or service—including job training, housing, education, life skills, counseling, or
mentoring—as being most important after release. An additional 10 percent reported that no
service had been helpful.
Figure 15. The Most Helpful Service after Previous Release
Substance abuse treatment

None have been helpful

Health insurance/medical coverage

Other

Job/vocational training

Housing program

Faith-based program

Counseling (including mental health counseling)

Life skills/parenting skills

Mentoring

Education

Haven't used any services

44
0

Percent

Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: These categories reflect open-ended responses and are not mutually exclusive.

Perhaps not surprisingly, most respondents reported services, programs, or support that would
have been helpful to them after release. Job-related training was the most commonly reported
service that would have been useful (63 percent). More than half of respondents reported
financial support (58 percent), health insurance (56 percent), employment readiness (55 percent),
and education (53 percent) as services that would have been useful. Nearly half reported that
housing programs (49 percent), life skills or parenting skills (46 percent), and counseling (47
percent) would have been useful after release. About 40 percent reported that substance abuse

This percentage is inconsistent with the share of respondents who reported using services in the community when asked in a separate multiple
response/closed-ended survey question.

treatment and mentoring would have been helpful, and 29 percent reported that faith-based
programs would have been helpful after release.

Services or Programs that Will Be Most Helpful in Prison and in the
Community after Release
Services that Will Be Most Helpful in Prison
Most respondents (81 percent) would like additional assistance in prison to help them better
prepare for their next release. The most commonly reported assistance that would be most
helpful while in prison was job-related services. A third (34 percent) reported wanting assistance
with job-related services, including job placement, job or vocational training, education, and
work-release programs that enable them to earn and save money. About 14 percent of
respondents reported that substance abuse counseling or treatment would be most important.

Figure 16. Services that Will Be Most Helpful in Prison
Some kind of assistance

Job-related assistance

Sobriety/substance abuse treatment

14
12

Housing assistance

Counseling
8

Stepdow n

Attitude and motivation
Financial assistance

Mentor
Identification documentation

3
2

Family assistance

2
8

Nothing (being released)

Nothing
0

100

Percent
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: These categories reflect open-ended responses and are not mutually exclusive.

More than 1 in 10 (11 percent) reported that general counseling or mentoring would be most
helpful while in prison, and an equal share (12 percent) reported that having their housing
arrangement set up while incarcerated would be most helpful. An additional 7 percent reported
that financial assistance would be most helpful while in prison to prepare for release.
Several respondents (about 8 percent) wished to be placed in a lower security level or in a
separate prerelease, step-down or outpatient program before release, rather than being released
directly to the street. Many noted concerns with the negativity of the correctional environment.
Personal motivation and improving one’s attitude during incarceration were the most important
factors to success after release for 7 percent of respondents.
38

Nearly one in five (19 percent) did not report the need for any assistance or services while in
prison, stating either nothing would help or that getting out of prison would be most helpful.
Services that Will Be Most Helpful in the Community after Release
Respondents reported several factors that will be most helpful in their transition to the
community once they are released. Responses ranged from specifics like job training and
placement and substance abuse counseling to achieving more general goals like staying busy and
maintaining a positive attitude. A fifth of respondents reported that finding a job, especially
before release, would be most helpful to their success in the community after release. Thirteen
percent reported the need to participate in substance abuse counseling or treatment, especially
through support groups like AA and NA. About 7 percent reported that finding housing would be
most important after release.

Figure 17. Services that Will Be Most Helpful in the Community after Release
Support system
Job-related assistance

21
20
13

Sobriety/substance abuse treatment
Counseling
Community involvement
Housing assistance
Attitude and avoiding trouble

8
8
7
7
7

No criminal stigma
Family
Faith-based support
Financial assistance
Mentor

5
3
3
3
2

Mental health treatment
Health care
Nothing

2
14
0

Percent
Source: Massachusetts Prisoner Recidivism Survey
Note: These categories reflect open-ended responses and are not mutually exclusive.

Fifteen percent reported the need to take action themselves to better their chances in the
community by being a peer mentor; a more involved community member; staying out of trouble;
or maintaining a positive attitude. Keeping busy is an important factor in staying out of trouble
for several respondents, whether through work or in general.
Compared with self-reported reentry needs in prison that focused primarily on concrete programs
and services, self-reported needs in the community focused more on having a support system.
One in five (21 percent) expressed the need for various support networks, such as a church, the

community, family, group counseling (e.g., AA meetings or one-on-one counseling), or a mentor
or someone to talk to.
Seven percent of respondents were concerned about problems relating to their “ex-offender”
status, such as CORI background checks and the judgment of the community. When thinking
about how they were going to get a job after release, CORI was cited as a major barrier for
many. A few respondents also complained that services are only reserved for people released on
parole, despite the need expressed by those not released to parole.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The survey of prisoners and analysis of Massachusetts Department of Correction administrative
data allowed for a unique look into the experiences and perceptions of former prisoners. The
study examined the in-prison and community experiences of 178 prisoners who were returned to
the Massachusetts DOC within three years of release, with special attention to the similarities
and differences between those returned to prison for a new crime and those returned for a
technical violation of parole.
DOC Program Involvement
The sample was composed of individuals with substantial criminal histories and multiple
previous incarcerations. Nearly every respondent (96 percent) reported having participated in
some type of prison program during their previous incarceration, and three-quarters specifically
received transitional preparation. Therefore, the DOC seems to be reaching many prisoners who
warrant substantial assistance and/or supervision upon release. At the same time, an important
opportunity exists for the DOC to further focus its reentry preparation on developing tangible
links to community services, particularly job-related and substance abuse services. Such links
might take the form of specific referrals, resource booklets to describe what services exist in
specific Massachusetts cities, and concrete strategies about how to access job training, substance
abuse treatment, faith-based institutions, and other resources.
Those expected to be released at the expiration of their sentence may warrant particular focus
from the DOC, as they are less involved in community services than those released to parole
supervision. The recently established Regional Reentry Centers that the state operates for
prisoners released without parole or probation supervision requirements could play a role in
increasing the chances of connection to services after release.
Housing and Neighborhood
Although finding housing did not seem to be a major challenge and family was supportive for
most, nearly half of the respondents lived with someone who had a drinking or drug problem,
and almost 40 percent lived with someone who had served time in prison or jail. Thus, many
returning to seemingly stable housing arrangements may be continually exposed to substance
abuse and criminal activity. This finding emphasizes the importance of treatment and relapseprevention strategies that take place after release in a setting where temptations and triggers are
acute.
After their most recent release from prison, only a third of respondents returned to the
neighborhood where they had lived before prison. The most common reason for relocation was a
desire to avoid trouble. While this indicates that respondents understand the negative influences
that may be present in their communities, it complicates the work of service planners who often
rely on information about communities where prisoners come from when arranging access to
postrelease services. The fact that many respondents do not return to the same address—or even
to the same neighborhood—highlights the importance of gathering accurate release information
at discharge and developing referrals and transition (and/or supervision) strategies that apply to
the neighborhood of return.

Substance Abuse
Substance abuse emerged as an enormous factor in respondents’ return to prison. Over two-thirds
of respondents reported drunkenness or illegal drug use within the month before reincarceration.
Nearly half of all respondents reported intoxication or drug use several times a week, and over a
third (38 percent) reported daily substance abuse. Among respondents who returned to prison for
a new arrest, 61 percent had been intoxicated or used illegal drugs in the 24 hours preceding the
offense.
Respondents who were under parole supervision reported lower rates of substance abuse than
those who were not. Among parole violators, technical violators reported higher rates of
substance abuse than those who were returned for a new crime. Positive tests for drugs or alcohol
were the most common cause for parole revocations. In addition to the self-reported heavy use,
drug sales and distribution were the most common types of criminal activity between
incarcerations for new crime respondents and technical violators.
In terms of drug treatment, less than half of all respondents were participating in some type of
substance abuse program in the month before reincarceration, most commonly AA or NA.
Treatment participation rates were higher among those who were under parole supervision, and
notably, substance abuse was lower in this group. Among frequent users, the rate of program
participation in the month prior to reincarceration was even lower than that of all respondents at
less than a third. Importantly, nearly two-thirds of frequent users reported they had wanted or
attempted to stop using drugs or alcohol but were unable to, suggesting that many who need
treatment are in fact open to it. Clearly, there is a group of heavy users who need treatment but
are not being reached.
Employment
In addition to substance abuse, respondents repeatedly referenced the challenge of finding stable
employment with a livable income. Over three-quarters of respondents found work after they
were released; however, employment was not stable for most. Just over half were employed at
the time of arrest. On average, respondents reported being employed about 60 percent of their
time in the community. Nearly a quarter did not work at all. Finding a job was a common
challenge, and job-related assistance (including training and placement) is the service that
respondents reported would be most helpful in their transition to the community. In fact, when
asked what could have deterred their reoffending, the most common responses were a job,
children, and sobriety.
Health Care
Three-quarters of respondents had some type of health insurance, and over half of those insured
had coverage through Mass Health. Despite this fact, respondents reported a high level of
emergency room use (this was true for those with and without health insurance). This suggests an
opportunity to educate soon-to-be-released prisoners about accessing primary health care and
examine the availability of primary health care providers in the communities to which many
prisoners return.

Free Time
The average number of hours per week that respondents spend watching TV, “doing nothing,” or
at bars and clubs (totaling about 30 hours) suggests a lot of unstructured time that could be better
utilized. The amount of free time presents both a challenge and an opportunity in transitioning
people from the highly structured prison environment to free society.
Criminal Activity
Many respondents reported having engaged in criminal activity during their time in the
community between incarcerations. Those returned to prison for a new arrest were much more
likely than technical violators to report having committed crimes between incarcerations. Drug
sales was the most common crime type among all respondents. Further, one of four who reported
drug dealing indicated they committed this offense within 48 hours of their previous release.
Another 22 percent sold drugs within their first month out. This reinforces the need to focus on
the first few days and weeks after release, when the risk of relapse and reoffending are high—
especially for those with serious substance abuse problems.
The Role of Supervision
Respondents on parole generally reported positive experiences under community supervision.
They felt their parole officers were respectful, trustworthy, and helpful, and most reported
understanding their supervision conditions very well. The study findings consistently show,
through self-reports and CORI data, that respondents on parole committed less crime and
engaged in less substance abuse than those not under parole supervision. Parolees were also
much more likely to have participated in community-based treatment and services. These
findings suggests that parole in Massachusetts is playing a role in facilitating access and
promoting adherence to treatment and services, suppressing criminal activity, and reincarcerating
people when they break the law or violate their conditions of supervision.
With respect to the technical violators in particular, both self-reports and CORI data clearly show
that technical violators’ criminal activity is substantially lower than those reincarcerated for new
crimes. This is an important finding as some theories suggest that the underlying criminal
behavior among technical violators is quite high and that revoking parole may serve as a way to
control crime among such violators.
Our study does not address whether reincarcerating technical violators is the best or most
efficient way to prevent reoffending. Increasingly, the Massachusetts Parole Board is
implementing graduated sanctions to address parole violations. The focus group discussion
suggested—and the authors concur—that expanding the availability of community-based
sanctions will increase the tools at a parole officer’s disposal when responding to violations and
working to change parolee behavior. Developing standardized guidelines for using graduated
sanctions (and incentives) that balance discretion and the specific factors in each case with a
need for consistency would improve monitoring and tracking of parolees to better determine
“what works” and for whom. Additional community-based options also allow prison beds to be
reserved for the most serious offenders.

In addition to the utility of graduated sanctions, parole officers noted that offering meaningful
incentives for parolees, such as reducing fees, office visits, and drug testing, is particularly useful
in modifying behavior and encouraging parolees to succeed. Such incentives are currently
difficult to employ because the Parole Board must approve any changes to conditions. The
Parole Board may want to consider a range of options in this regard that can be executed at the
officer or supervisor levels.

As is the case in every state around the country, many individuals will relapse or reoffend and
return to prison. This study intended to shed light on why these former prisoners return to prison.
The survey and focus group findings illustrate how deeply certain individuals are entrenched in
substance abuse and criminal activity while facing challenges with basic needs, such as stable
work, housing, and positive peer networks. The Massachusetts DOC and Parole Board are
making substantial efforts to prepare prisoners for release and supervise and support them in the
community. The survey findings present additional opportunities for DOC and the Parole Board
to prepare prisoners better for the realities of their release, including connections to tangible
contacts and resources in their communities of return. Reentry strategies would also benefit from
enhanced information sharing between the DOC, parole, and community-based organizations
that provide services and treatment. An increased—and more strategically coordinated—network
of community-based interventions would give returning prisoners, supervision agencies, and
family members additional tools in the effort to keep these highest risk individuals sober,
employed, connected to family, and out of prison. Even moderate inroads in these areas will
translate to safer communities throughout the state.