Repeat offenders commit a disprorortionate share of crimes. Societies aiming to reduce crime thus must not only prevent individuals frpm comitting their first crimebut also prevent known offenders from returning to crime. This report reviews the evidens related to how four broad factors impact recidivism or repeat offending: the probibility of getting caught, diversion from te criminal justice system and prison, prison, and post-prison environments.

Randi Hjalmarsson is a professor of economics at the Department of Economics at the University of Gothenburg.