MONTGOMERY, Ala. — In its ongoing efforts to reduce recidivism, the Alabama Re-Entry Commission discussed Tuesday the underreporting of crime data from local municipalities, and its potential impact on reducing recidivism.
The commission has been tasked with developing a strategic plan to cut the state’s recidivism rate, which measures the frequency of formerly incarcerated Alabamians reoffending within three years of release, in half by 2030. The state’s current recidivism rate is around 29%.
Meeting at the Alabama State House, members discussed how gaps in crime data could pose challenges to effectively addressing recidivism, with one gap in particular – crime data reports from municipal courts to the state – noted by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, as “a huge problem.”…