State prison officials announce decline in recidivism rate

Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Director Chad Dotson announced today that for the 11th straight year, Virginia has achieved one of the lowest recidivism rates for re-incarceration in the nation.

Data from the VADOC shows that the Commonwealth’s 19% three-year re-incarceration rate for State Responsible (SR) inmates among the FY2019 cohort is tied for the second-lowest in the United States with Minnesota.

The 19% recidivism rate is Virginia’s lowest in more than 20 years and improves upon the 20.6% rate from FY2018. This marks the 11th consecutive year that Virginia has had the lowest or second-lowest rate of recidivism in the nation.

Virginia measures its three-year re-incarceration rate by waiting at least four years to allow all court information to be received and logged. The recidivism rate is compared to 33 other states that have made their comparable recidivism rates publicly available.

South Carolina had the lowest comparable recidivism rate (18.5%) for FY2020. When comparing the 2019 cohort alone, Virginia’s recidivism rate is the lowest in the nation for that year, as of December 4, 2023. However, South Carolina has already released its FY2020 cohort rate, which is lower than Virginia’s FY2019 rate.

“I am pleased to see that Virginia’s recidivism rate has dropped yet again,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Terrance “Terry” Cole. “This shows that so many returning Virginians are making the most of their opportunities to succeed, and that our public safety agencies are working hard to keep Virginia safe and improve lives in the process.”

“These numbers showcase that the Virginia Department of Corrections is a leader in the corrections field,” said Director Dotson. “Our dedicated employees work around the clock to provide long-term public safety for the entire Commonwealth, and focus on proven, effective programming and re-entry services for the inmates and probationers in our custody and under our supervision.”

Full data can be found on the Virginia Department of Corrections website.

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