OR03-5 * FACTORS LINKED TO REOFFENDING: A 5-YEAR PROSPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF REOFFENDING IN DRUG OFFENDERS

Abstract

Introduction. High recidivism rate of drug-related offenders is a global problem. Previous studies clarified several factors linked to their reoffending. Still, these factors were not examined through prospective design. We aimed to clarify them through a 5-year prospective longitudinal design. Method. Participants were 233 men who had been imprisoned as drug-related offenders in a Japanese prison as of 2008 and released by 2013. They aged 43, imprisoned 4 times, had a 10-year of education, and received a 1257-day sentence on average. Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to obtain hazard ratios for their age, previous sentence days, number of imprisonment, correctional treatment in the prison, and years of education. Result. At 5 years, the 126 of them (54%) reoffended and returned to the prison. They survived 546 days in free society and received another 838-day sentence on average. The 91 (39%) were imprisoned mainly because of drug-related offence. Their age and correctional treatment in prison decreased the risk of drug-related offence, whereas the number of imprisonment increased the risk. Their previous sentence and years of education had no significant effect on the risk. Conclusion. Correctional treatment in prison should be effective to reduce the risk of their reoffending rather than harsh sentence.