An analysis of adolescent perpetrators of homicide and attempted homicide upon return to the community

This study assesses the recidivism for adolescent perpetrators of homicide and attempted homicide who were released from a juvenile correctional facility in the late 1970s and 1980s. This follow-up is a minimum of 5 years postrelease to more than 15 years after release. The results indicate that the youth studied did not perpetrate additional homicides after release. The majority were reinvolved in crime, however, and most who reoffended did so against persons. A significant number did not become reinvolved in crime, and almost half were not reincarcerated. The youth who perpetrated homicides and attempted homicides did not differ significantly from other juvenile delinquents in their likelihood to reoffend upon release as evidenced by a comparison of the two groups.