97% of RTA participants do not return to prison within three years of release. While this statistic is a clear marker of our RTA’s impact, it’s time to dig deeper into understanding the meaning of success after serving time in prison—it’s not just a number.
The term recidivism refers to a person’s relapse into criminal behavior and often results in returning to prison, but the term is complicated and often a misunderstood measure. Too frequently, higher recidivism rates are used to justify mass incarceration and punitive approaches instead of investing in rehabilitation and transformation. When technical parole violations or minor infractions are included in the framework of recidivism, the data becomes distorted. It stops being a meaningful way to measure success and starts reinforcing the very systems it claims to assess.
And more importantly, not returning to prison is not the pinnacle of success. It’s a milestone, yes—but true success is about thriving. It’s about how people rebuild their lives, contribute to their communities, and rediscover purpose.
At RTA, we see this every day. Our alumni are artists, activists, mentors, and educators. Some have become Assistant District Attorneys, board members, staff—and yes, even movie stars (ever heard of the Oscar-nominated film SING SING?). Our very own Executive Director, Jermaine Archer, began as an RTA participant. That’s not a stat. That’s a transformation in action.
We need to reimagine how we talk about recidivism. In prison, people are reduced to numbers. When they come home, too many are judged by a single data point rather than their whole story. Formerly incarcerated people are just that: people. People with drive, talent, struggles, and potential. When we measure success by how someone thrives—not whether they’re re-arrested—we start to see the full picture.
At RTA, we don’t just reduce recidivism—we rewrite the script. When we center transformation instead of punishment, we begin to recognize the extraordinary resilience, creativity, and leadership that emerge when people are given real opportunities to grow.
Let’s stop asking, “Did they come back?” and start asking, “How far have they come?”
To learn more about the many misconceptions surrounding recidivism, we recommend this comprehensive guide by the Prison Policy Initiative: The Myth of the Revolving Door.
