Visakhapatnam: Recidivism, or reverting to committing crime repeatedly, is increasing in Andhra Pradesh: the state has the grim reputation of being at the top in the southern region at 16.3 per cent, as per the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau.
Despite serving jail sentences for months for property offences, smuggling and a few other illegal activities, there are several criminals who have shown that they don’t mind going back to jail. Data also shows that correctional services in prisons across the state are not effectual in bringing change in prisoners.
While the total number of arrested for various crimes in Andhra Pradesh during 2015 was 1,47,709, the new offenders were 1,23,577. Those who were convicted once were 23,276, the number of those who underwent imprisonment twice is 635 and those who were convicted and sent to jail thrice or more were 221 in number. Overall, the percentage of recidivists was 16.3 in 2015 when compared to the crime statistics for 2014 when it was 7.2.
Senior advocate and president of Forum of Legal Professionals Kuppili Muralidhar says it was very difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons behind the recidivism rate from statistics as sometimes the police frame the old offenders in new cases for recovery of stolen property and arrest them in the cases. In first-time offenders’ category too, some might have committed crimes more than twice or thrice, but they were getting smarter and the poor investigation skills of police were helping them escape, he added.
DCP (Crimes) T. Ravi Kumar Murthy cited several reasons for the increase in recidivism. Drug addiction, getting accustomed to a lavish lifestyle and unemployment were among the main reasons for increasing recidivism. In some cases, after release from prison, the criminals committed grave crimes with other offenders whom they had met in prison, he added.
The legal fraternity felt that criminals had a strong belief that the police couldn’t do much. After getting out of prison on bail, criminals were going back to their old ways with more innovative ideas. Prisoners in remand and some convicted after serving a jail term were again resorting to crime to sustain their habits. Sometimes companions impelled them to commit crime.
“We have been introducing various skill training programmes and counselling offenders to change their mindsets, but sometimes, they revert to their old ways due to society and the environment,” said deputy superintendent of Central Prison, Vizag, V.S. Rao.
