Report: California Recidivism Among Highest In Nation

More than two-thirds of California's convicts return to crime within three years, according to a new state report that puts the state among the highest in the country for parolees returning to correctional facilities.

The report found that nearly 75 percent of ex-convicts who commit new crimes do it within a year of their release, according to the report by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation .

Also, convicts who committ less violent crimes are more likely to return to prison that those who committ more violent crimes. Vehicle theft topped the list of crimes causing a parolee to return to prison.

Other key findings include:

• Nearly three-quarters of felons who recidivate did so within a year of release.

• Most recidivists returned to prison for parole violations.

• After three years, re-released felons returned to prison at a rate 16.8 percentage points higher than those released for the first time.

• Females have a three-year return-to-prison rate of 58 percent, which is approximately 10 percentage points lower than that of males.

• In general, recidivism rates declined with age. Among inmates, ages 18 to 24 when released in fiscal year 2005/06, nearly 75 percent returned to prison within three years, compared to about 67 percent ages 40 to 44 and 46 percent of those 60 years of age and older.

• Sex offenders recidivate at a slightly lower rate compared with other felons. Of the sex offenders who recidivate, 86 percent do so because of a parole violation.

More than 100,000 convicts are released from California prisons each year, according to the report. Read the full corrections report .