Dane County Returning Prisoners
Data from Jan. 1990 – April 2000
Dane County Returned Prisoners in 1990s
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Note: 2000 estimated as three times the number for the first three months
450
Dane County returned prisoners in 1990s, by sex
400
350
300
250
Male
Female
200
150
100
50
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Sex of Returnees, 1997-1999
Male
Female
88% men
Dane County returned prisoners in 1990s, by race
250
200
150
white
black
allother
100
50
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Proportion Black rose in the 1990s from 34% to 52%
Race of returnees, 1997-1999
3% other
52% Black
45% White
Racial mix is similar for men and women
White
Black
Other
Intended residence when released, for those sentenced in Dane County
80
70
60
50
Dane
Elsewhere
Percent 40
30
20
10
0
White
Black
Other
Large majority of those sentenced in Dane return to Dane; even
more true for minorities than for Whites
Sentence location for prisoners if released to Dane County
90
80
70
60
50
Dane
Elsewhere
Percent
40
30
20
10
0
White
Black
Other
Large majority of those returning to Dane were sentenced here;
even more true for Blacks than Whites
Proportion Dane returnees back in prison within two years (by exit
year)
0.6
0.5
0.4
white
black
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Blacks are more likely to go back to prison, but no clear time trend.
Proportion Dane returnees back in prison within one year (by exit
year)
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
white
black
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Blacks are more likely to go back to prison, but no clear time trend.
Proportion Dane returnees back in prison within one year
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
Male
Female
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Men are generally more likely than women to return to prison within
a year, no clear time trends
Proportion Dane returnees back in prison within two years
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
Male
Female
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Men are generally more likely than women to return to prison within
two years, no clear time trends
Proportion Dane 1990s prison returnees back in prison within two years
0.6
0.5
0.4
White
Black
Other
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Male
Female
Proportion Back in Prison by months after release (6-month intervals)
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
78
Months
White Men
White Women
Black Men
Black Women
Other Men
Other Women
84
90
Proportion Back in Prison by months after release (6-month intervals)
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
78
84
90
Months
White Men
White Women
Black Men
Black Women
Other Men
Other Women
This chart shows the highest risk of return to prison is in the first
18 months. Rates for White & Other women flatten out most
quickly, ending at 35-40%. Rates for White men and Black
women continue to rise to about 55%. Rates for Black and Other
men rise steadily, ending at over 70%
Offense of Dane prison returnees, all races & sexes
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1990
1991
Violent
1992
1993
Rob/burg
1994
Drug
1995
1996
Theft
1997
Other
1998
1999
Unknown
Offenses of returning prisoners, by race/sex group
VIOLENT
ROB/BURG
DRUG
THEFT
OTHER
UNKNOWN
VIOLENT
ROB/BURG
DRUG
THEFT
OTHER
UNKNOWN
White Men
Black Men
VIOLENT
ROB/BURG
DRUG
THEFT
OTHER
UNKNOWN
White Women
VIOLENT
ROB/BURG
DRUG
THEFT
OTHER
UNKNOWN
Black Women
Education of Dane returning prisoners
VocClasses
9%
HS grad
16%
College
<8 yrs
2%
3%
8-11 yrs
40%
GED
30%
Education by race for Dane returning prisoners (percentage
within racial groups)
60%
50%
40%
<HS
GED
HS grad
Voc courses
Coll+
30%
20%
10%
0%
white
black
other
Proportion of Dane returned prisoners back in prison within
two years, by education & race
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
white
black
other
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
<8 yrs
8-11 yrs
GED
HS grad
Voc
College+
Age of Dane returning prisoners in the 1990s
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
teens
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
70s
80s
Age distribution for returnees is similar by race, except at
the youngest and oldest ages
45
40
35
30
25
white
black
20
15
10
5
0
teens
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
70s
80s
Proportion of Dane returning prisoners back in prison
within two years, by race & age
0.6
0.5
0.4
teens
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
white
black
Back to prison is higher for Blacks than Whites in 20s to 40s; age
matters less for Whites