Work Release in Washington: Effects on Recidivism and Corrections Costs

Abstract

This article presents results from two studies of Washington State's prison work release program conducted between 1991 and 1994. The first study analyzed a cohort of all male prisoners released from Washington prisons in 1990 (N = 2,452) to describe how work release operates and how successfully inmates perform in the program. The second study compared the recidivism of 218 offenders, approximately half of whom participated in work release and half of whom completed their sentences in prison. Results of the evaluation were mostly positive. Nearly a quarter of all prisoners released made a successful transition to the community through work release. Few work release inmates committed crimes while on work release. Recidivism and correctional costs for work releases and nonwork releases were similar.

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