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SD 3376

DOC One-Year Recidivism Rates of Men and Women Released 2017-2021

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Massachusetts must publish disaggregated one-year recidivism rates by gender for people released from DOC custody during 2017-2021.

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Bill Summary · SD 3376

Legislative bill overview

This bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) to compile and publish one-year recidivism rates for individuals released between 2017-2021, disaggregated by gender. The legislation mandates data collection on whether released individuals were re-incarcerated within one year of release during this five-year period.

Why is this important

Recidivism data is fundamental to evaluating prison reform effectiveness, sentencing policies, and rehabilitation programs. Gender-disaggregated recidivism rates can reveal whether incarceration outcomes differ significantly between men and women, informing evidence-based criminal justice policy and resource allocation.

Potential points of contention

  • Data privacy concerns: Collecting and publishing identifiable recidivism patterns could raise privacy issues if individuals can be identified through the disaggregated data
  • Limited scope: Focusing only on one-year recidivism may not capture longer-term reoffending patterns; some argue multi-year tracking is more meaningful
  • Resource requirements: The DOC may argue that compiling historical data from 2017-2021 requires significant staff time and resources without clear funding allocation
  • Definitional ambiguity: The bill doesn't specify whether "recidivism" includes only new convictions, arrests, or re-incarceration—different definitions yield different rates

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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