Justice Reinvestment and Supervision Practices
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CHALLENGE
Similar dynamics existed in Nebraska, where a majority
of sentences to prison were for lowest-level felonies
Justice reinvestment research found
that 55% of felony sentences were
for class IV convictions
(FY2012-FY2013)
Class IIIA
(13%)
90 percent of Class IV offenses were nonviolent, 73
percent of Class IV sentences were to incarceration,
the average time served was 10 months, and one-third
were released without supervision. People with
sentences for low-level felony offenses had lower
recidivism rates on probation than following prison.
2-Year Recidivism Rates for Probation (FY2011) and Prison
(FY2010) by Sentence Type
Class IV
50%
Probation
Prison
Class III
(21%)
(55%)
33%
30%
40%
30%
26%
20%
17%
10%
Class II
(7%)
Class I(A-
D)
(3%)
13% 13%
10%
3%
0%
Class IV Felony
Source: NDCS prison admission and release data, JUSTICE FY2012-FY2013 sentencing data
Low
Medium
High
Council of State Governments Justice Center | 64View entire presentation