Perspectives on recidivists: the views of detainees, the general public and people working with offenders

Abstract

There is ample evidence on recidivism including its relationships with drug use, addiction, mental illness and security problems; however there has been less research based on direct accounts of detainee experiences and on the experience of people who try to prevent recidivism. The aim of this research was to describe how recidivism is perceived and dealt with by different actors: offenders (recidivists and non-recidivists), pedagogical operators and the public. The wider objective of the study was to identify ways in which various stakeholders can facilitate social reintegration of prisoners. The interviews revealed marked differences in how recidivism is interpreted; these affect both management of recidivism risk and the rehabilitation process, which involves society. The results suggest some ways of reducing recidivism, such as work groups among the actors involved, educational opportunities for offenders and the implementation of reintegration projects according to the laws on alternatives to prison.