The statistics reproduced below were collected as part of the preparation for the 15th Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators (APCCA) in Japan in September 1995.
During the course of the conference itself, and during the following two weeks, a number of minor changes to the statistics were suggested by delegates to the conference. As far as possible, these changes have been made.
It should be noted, however, that international comparisons must be made with caution as it is not possible to ensure that all nations in the region have used the terminology in exactly the same way.
The Data Collection Form used to gather the statistical information summarised in the preceding pages also requested respondents to provide "any information on recidivism, or the proportion of prisoners who are re-incarcerated" in each system in recent years. Only eight of the 25 completed forms contained this additional in formation. The information provided was in a number of different forms and can be seen as illustrating the complexity of attempts to measure recidivism, or the success of prison systems. Below is a synopsis of the information received on this topic.
In Malaysia, at 31 March 1995, 51 per cent of prisoners were first timers, and decreasing proportions of prisoners had previously served sentences one or more times. The proportion of female prisoners who were recidivists was lower than the proportion of male prisoners. Similarly, in Brunei Darussalam. at 1 August 1995, 58 per cent of the total of 312 prisoners were first timers, 20 per cent were second timers, etc. Also, female prisoners were less likely than males to be recidivists.
The information supplied from the Philippines shows that in each year from 1990 to 1995, 95 per cent of the admissions to prison were first offenders and five per cent were "ex-cons" or returnees. From Macau it was reported that the numbers of ex-prisoners re-incarcerated during 1993, 1994 and 1995 were, respectively, 105, 77 and 66.
The most recent prison census conducted in New Zealand showed that 57 per cent of males and 28 per cent of females had had at least one prior imprisonment. Also, a study of reconvictions conducted in 1990/91 found that 68 per cent of a sample of 1674 offenders serving custodial or community based sentences were re-convicted in a two-year follow up period, but those referred to and/or treated by a psychologist had lower recidivism rates.
The data from Japan show that the number of re-incarcerated prisoners over a five-year period (1990 to 1994) as a proportion of all prisoners released over that period, was exactly 42.0 per cent. From Hong Kong it is shown that different success rates were achieved by different programs, for example, drug addiction treatment centres (55-65 per cent success), training centres (65-72 per cent), detention centres (90-95 per cent) and young prisoner programs (77-86 percent).
Information provided from New South Wales shows the number and percentage of prisoners re-incarcerated within two years of release for different offence groups, and also compares those with and without records of prior imprisonment. The lowest recidivism rates (between 10 and 15 per cent) were for ex-prisoners who had served sentences for murder, sex offences and drug offences, while the highest (over 35 per cent) were for those who had served sentences for breach of parole, assault, stealing and robbery. For all offence groups, 23 per cent of first timers, and 46 per cent of recidivists, returned to prison again.