A French Justice Ministry study has found that 63 percent of prisoners released in 2016 reoffended within five years of their release.
The research tracked over 45,000 former inmates and showed that more than one third reoffended within a year of release, with 15 percent doing so in the first four months.
The offences committed were not always the same as those that led to their original convictions, the ministry’s statistical service (SSER) said.
The study highlighted notable differences in reoffending rates based on age, gender and criminal history.
Young offenders
Younger ex-prisoners are almost three times more likely to commit new crimes than older ones.
"Young offenders, particularly those under 25, reoffend at much higher rates than those aged 55 and older upon release", the study said.
The figures show 77 percent of young offenders return to crime, compared with 29 percent of those over 55.
Men were found to be more likely to reoffend than women, with rates of 64 percent and 42 percent respectively.
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Unmarried prisoners also had a higher likelihood of reoffending than married inmates, though the study noted that "this disparity is not solely due to marital status, as married individuals tend to be older".
Previous convictions also influence reoffending. Those with two prior convictions are twice as likely to commit new crimes as first-time offenders.
The study found that prisoners released early on parole or probation tend to reoffend less often than those who serve their full sentences.
However, the SSER said this difference might reflect the type of prisoner chosen for early release rather than the effectiveness of parole itself.
