Tennessee Recidivism Rate Shows Promising Decrease

NASHVILLE – Newly released recidivism numbers show Tennessee is moving in the right direction.  Statewide recidivism for 2016 was 47.1%, down from 50.5% in 2010.  Tennessee recidivism is defined as the percentage of felony inmates who are re-incarcerated within three years of their release.  Since 2010, the Department has focused on the implementation of new, evidence-based programs and a “whole patient” approach to rehabilitation and offender care in order to improve offender success rates.  Reducing recidivism not only makes our neighborhoods safer for Tennessee families; with the average cost to house an inmate in a state prison at $76 per day, it also saves valuable taxpayer dollars. 

“Providing offenders with informed, evidence-based rehabilitative programs and resource support both during incarceration and in the community is key to changing criminal behavior,” says TDOC Commissioner Tony Parker.  “These encouraging numbers demonstrate that we’re on the right track and I’d like to thank our dedicated team of correctional professionals for their work in making Tennessee safer.”

The non-negotiable mission of the Tennessee Department of Correction is to operate safe and secure prisons and provide effective community supervision in order to enhance public safety.