The Crime Reduction Toolkit platform analyzed the results of a systematic review that included five studies on home-based temporary release interventions, among which four showed a lower recidivism rate (commission of new crimes) than that observed in the corresponding control groups.
However, the same platform reports mixed evidence for work release programs. In this case, of the eleven studies included, six found no statistically significant effects, while two reported a positive impact on recidivism. Two other studies included in the systematic review reported effects on employability, and six found significant effects on substance abuse. The most effective results are associated with a combination of semi-liberty and other social reintegration techniques, such as participation in therapeutic communities [1].
A study by the UK Ministry of Justice analyzed 197,007 probation cases (corresponding to 5,879 individuals), using data from England and Wales in 2012 and 2013, and applying techniques to control for offender characteristics, criminal history, and failure to comply with probation terms [2].
The study concluded that, in general, a greater use of parole is associated with reduced recidivism. Those who received parole within six months of their final release had a recidivism rate of approximately 13% (measured one year after final release), whereas the overall rate (for all adult offenders leaving the prison system in England and Wales) was approximately 46% in the same year.