No wonder, then, that most people labeled felons are swept back into prisons not long after their release. According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics study, about 30 percent of those released from prison in its sample were rearrested within six months of release.90 Within three years, nearly 68 percent were rearrested at least once for a new offense.91 Only a small minority are rearrested for violent crimes; the vast majority are rearrested for property offenses, drug offenses, and offenses against the public order.92 For those released on probation or parole, the risks are especially high.
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