Sheriffs Respond to New Bureau of Justice Statistics Report on Recidivism

This week the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a study stating that of the 43,000 federal offenders who were placed on federal community supervision, an estimated 43 percent were arrested at least once within five years of their placement. An estimated 18 percent of these offenders were arrested at least once within one year of placement on community supervision and 35 percent were arrested at least once within three years of placement.

This report proves that the National Sheriffs’ Association’s position on early releases, recklessly advocated by the Obama Administration, will harm our communities and will further burden local budgets.

“Sheriffs know this reality all too well, that early releases fracture the fabric of our communities, by allowing additional citizens to be victimized,” said Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. “The Administration and Congress must take notice and no longer propose these damaging policies.” 

The report, Recidivism of Offenders Placed on Federal Community Supervision in 2005: Patterns from 2005 to 2010, can be found here.