The DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) released a report today focusing on recidivism rates for youth offenders who are under the supervision of DYRS. The study found that the overall rate of recidivism reconviction of previously committed youth was lower for DYRS youth in 2006 and 2007 vs. 2004, the year before the reforms initiated by the current DYRS leadership were started. While inter-jurisdictional comparisons should be viewed cautiously, DC youth experienced lower recidivism rates when compared to the most recently published data from other states such as Virginia. Further, overall youth arrests for serious offenses have declined substantially in DC between 2004 and present (-24%), substantially more than the decline in serious arrests of adults (-7%).

Recidivism within the first 12 months of returning to the community for youth newly committed to DYRS, regardless of initial placement, declined substantially -- from 31% in FY 2004 to 25% in FY 2007. The recidivism rate for the FY2006 cohort was the lowest of any year in this study at 17%. “I believe that these data, in terms of both recidivism and overall youth crime in the District, are the first indicator that, when you focus on turning young people’s lives around, you can make a real impact on their lives, and on safety for all DC residents,” stated Mayor Adrian Fenty. “Although everyone recognizes that there is still a lot of work to do to make DYRS a world-class juvenile justice agency, this report and the recent recognition by Harvard University as being one of the nation’s ‘Top 50’ innovative programs in government indicates that the Department is on the right track.”

“Recidivism is one amongst many key indicators for determining whether or not juvenile justice interventions are making a difference in making our communities safer,” stated Vincent N. Schiraldi, Director, DYRS. “While much work needs to be done to continue the reforms at DYRS, and more sophisticated data on DYRS’ youth well-being need to be developed, these data show that our reforms are heading in the right direction.”

The report, entitled “Public Safety Outcomes Among DYRS Youth” and prepared by DYRS’ Research and Quality Assurance Division, focuses on re-conviction rates for juveniles committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) in the District of Columbia. The analysis specifically examined youth newly committed to DYRS in fiscal years 2004, 2006, and 2007. FY2004 predates the establishment of DYRS as a cabinet level agency as well as the current DYRS administration, which was appointed in January of 2005, so it best represents the “before” picture of DYRS. DYRS began implementing major reforms to all aspects of the agency in 2005. The report examines new commitments in FY2006 and FY2007 because they represent the fiscal years in which the reforms were being initiated and becoming more institutionalized into policy and practice.

View Recidivism Study*