CRANSTON, R.I. – December 5, 2007 – The Planning & Research Unit at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections has completed a study exploring the recidivism rates for prisoners released from the RIDOC during calendar year 2004, the most recent year for which data is available. A summary of the findings, including an explanation of the study methodology, a description of the release cohort, and a look at how Rhode Island compares to other correctional systems across the country, can be accessed by visiting the department’s website at www.doc.ri.gov. It can be found under Administrative Division/Planning & Research/Offender Statistics & Reports/Annual Offender Statistics & Reports.
Also posted on the Planning and Research page of the DOC’s website is a .pdf version of the 2007 Population Report for the RIDOC, which can be found in the same page under Miscellaneous Statistics & Reports/ Recidivism Rates for RIDOC. That summary includes an overview of facilities, population trends, offender characteristics, future projections, release and pretrial statistics, and information on community corrections.
A virtual tour, including a brief history of the Department, designed for those who have little familiarity with the state’s correctional system, is also posted on the homepage of the website. The project was initiated by Chief of Information and Public Relations Tracey Z. Poole and achieved through the help of the New England Institute of Technology, where then senior Edith Lowe, took it on as a class project.