Breaking: Terror Suspects substantially less likely to reoffend

14 percent of those freed from Gitmo reoffend, source says - CNN.com

Preliminary intelligence assessments show more than 14 percent of detainees released from Guantanamo Bay have returned or are suspected of having returned to terrorism activities, an administration official with knowledge of the Defense Department's information said.

That number, which reflects data through the beginning of 2009, has gone up slightly from statistics compiled through the end of 2008, when the recidivism rate was considered to be 11 percent, according to the administration official. It had been at 7 percent in earlier years, but the Pentagon has not disclosed what time frame that encompasses.

Compare and contrast with this from a Bureau of Justice Statistics article.

Rearrest within 3 years

* 67.5% of prisoners released in 1994 were rearrested within 3 years, an increase over the 62.5% found for those released in 1983

* The rearrest rate for property offenders, drug offenders, and public-order offenders increased significantly from 1983 to 1994. During that time, the rearrest rate increased:

- from 68.1% to 73.8% for property offenders
- from 50.4% to 66.7% for drug offenders
- from 54.6% to 62.2% for public-order offenders

* The rearrest rate for violent offenders remained relatively stable (59.6% in 1983 compared to 61.7% in 1994).

I report, you decide.

Naw, fuck it ...

Anyone that isnt completely innumerate knows what these numbers mean. Terror suspects are far less likely to reoffend than the average run of the mill criminal. How does that match up with the scary rhetoric of Cheney and company.

And of course CNN offers none of this context. Colour me shocked.