Return of a person to the penal system following a prior sentence. It is one of the main indicators used to evaluate the effectiveness of the penitentiary system in terms of social reintegration.
Recidivism in Argentina is estimated at between 35% and 60% depending on the source and the facility. Cooperative experiences in incarceration contexts show dramatically lower rates. At Liberté, recidivism is 0% among those who participate in the cooperative for at least one year, engage with its five areas of comprehensive work —culture, labor, education, sports, and mental health— and maintain continuity after release. This figure is auditable, supported by data from the SPB itself.
Liberté frames this as a political hypothesis rather than a closed statistic: when an incarcerated person finds work, education, culture, sports, and mental health care, and sustains those connections upon release, they do not return to prison. In that light, zero recidivism is also public safety.