§ 60551. Offender reentry research

• (a) The National Institute of Justice may conduct research on juvenile and adult offender reentry, including—
  • (1) a study identifying the number and characteristics of minor children who have had a parent incarcerated, and the likelihood of such minor children becoming adversely involved in the criminal justice system some time in their lifetime;
  • (2) a study identifying a mechanism to compare rates of recidivism (including rearrest, violations of parole, probation, post-incarceration supervision, and reincarceration) among States; and
  • (3) a study on the population of offenders released from custody who do not engage in recidivism and the characteristics (housing, employment, treatment, family connection) of that population.
• (b) The Bureau of Justice Statistics may conduct research on offender reentry, including—
  • (1) an analysis of special populations (including prisoners with mental illness or substance abuse disorders, female offenders, juvenile offenders, offenders with limited English proficiency, and the elderly) that present unique reentry challenges;
  • (2) studies to determine which offenders are returning to prison, jail, or a juvenile facility and which of those returning offenders represent the greatest risk to victims and community safety;
  • (3) annual reports on the demographic characteristics of the population reentering society from prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities;
  • (4) a national recidivism study every 3 years;
  • (5) a study of parole, probation, or post-incarceration supervision violations and revocations; and
  • (6) a study concerning the most appropriate measure to be used when reporting recidivism rates (whether rearrest, reincarceration, or any other valid, evidence-based measure).