The efficacy of probation versus imprisonment in reducing recidivism of serious offenders in Israel

This is a study of 202 adult offenders, all convicted of serious felonies and all recommended for probation supervision by the investigating probation officers. Ninety-seven (48 percent) were granted probation; the rest were sentenced to prison terms of up to seven years. The police records of the two groups for the five-year period following completion of probation or prison showed no significant differences in recidivism. Using multivariate techniques and diverse measures of recidivism, the research could find no significant influence for type of sentence. Various offenders attributes, particularly lack of education, were the best predictors of recidivism.