Virginia Leads United States with Lowest Recidivism Rate

Agency News

May 29, 2025

Richmond — Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Director Chad Dotson today announced that Virginia’s latest 17.6% recidivism rate is the lowest in the United States.

Data from the VADOC shows that the Commonwealth’s 17.6% three-year re-incarceration rate for State Responsible (SR) inmates among the FY2020 cohort leads the nation. Minnesota’s recidivism rate was second-lowest, at 19%.

The 17.6% recidivism rate is Virginia’s lowest in more than 20 years and improves upon the 19% rate from FY2019. Virginia has now had the lowest or second-lowest recidivism rate in the nation for 12 consecutive years.

The VADOC’s best-in-class  reentry services align with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 36, the Stand Tall – Stay Strong – Succeed Together Initiative, which is a first-in-the-nation proactive, dynamic, data-driven, and comprehensive across-government approach to support reentry success and prevent recidivism.

“This achievement is a collective win, not just for the dedicated public servants who are devoted to this agency’s mission, but for all Virginians,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “Every single day, the VADOC ensures public safety across the Commonwealth by providing effective incarceration, supervision, and evidence-based reentry services. All three of those components are necessary to ensure that returning Virginians have a strong foundation upon which to build during their reentry journey. As we know, a successful reentry process reduces recidivism and keeps all Virginians safe. I thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this best-in-class recidivism rate possible.”

Virginia measures its three-year re-incarceration rate by waiting at least four years to allow all court information to be received and logged. The recidivism rate is compared to 31 other states that have made their comparable recidivism rates publicly available.

Full reports can be found on the VADOC website.