United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-07-20 monographic deposited born digital 16 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-966T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T P0b002ee1803824b8 f:d01966t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T GAO-01-966T Drug abuse Halfway houses Offender rehabilitation Parolees Prisoners Recidivism Statistical data District of Columbia DOJ/DOL/HHS Offender Reentry Initiative DOJ/DOL/HHS Demonstration Grant Program DOJ/DOL/HHS Young Offender Program Testimony A01425 This testimony discusses prisoner releases and reintegration programs and provides some perspectives on the particular challenges posed by the District of Columbia offenders. Nationally, the total inmate population in federal and state prisons increased almost fourfold during the past two decades. Consistent with the trend of larger prison populations, the number of inmates who complete their sentences and return to communities has also risen significantly in recent years, surpassing the half-million mark in 1998. After being released, many individuals--about 40 percent historically--later are sent back to prison for committing new offenses or violating parole conditions. Regarding criminal history, the Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS) most recent nationwide survey of prison inmates showed that 40 percent of federal inmates and 55 percent of state inmates in prison in 1997 has serves prior sentences. BJS data showed that D.C. offenders, in particular, had more extensive criminal histories than the national averages. For example, in D.C., 98.3 percent of all adult probationers had prior convictions, almost twice the national average of 50 percent. BJS' 1997 survey also showed that the bulk of inmates in prison were drug abusers. The National Institute of Justice noted that 69 percent of D.C. offenders arrested in 1999 tested positive for at least one type of drug. Regarding reintegration, GAO found that certain reintegration programs for D.C. prisoners were lacking. For example, the Corrections Trustee for the District of Columbia noted that few D.C. inmates had the benefit of a transitional period in a halfway house before being released for return to the community. While noting that much progress has been made, the Corrections Trustee stated that there continues to be a shortage of halfway house beds. Several national and D.C. reintegration initiatives exist to assist offenders who are returning to the community. The Young Offender Initiative, the Reentry Grant Program, and the Demonstration Grant Program are among the programs that focus on reducing recidivism, developing job skills, and treating drug abuse problems. This testimony summarizes the June report, GAO-01-483. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T.pdf GAO-01-966T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-966T Testimony GAO-01-966T; Prisoner Releases: Reintegration of Offenders Into Communities; Drug abuse Halfway houses Offender rehabilitation Parolees Prisoners Recidivism Statistical data District of Columbia DOJ/DOL/HHS Offender Reentry Initiative DOJ/DOL/HHS Demonstration Grant Program DOJ/DOL/HHS Young Offender Program Volume 111 Page 712 111 Stat. 712 Public Law 104-134 Public Law 105-33