Bleick Rehabilitation: Reduced Criminal Recidivism Paper 286 Influence of the Transcendental Meditation Program on Criminal Recidivism

Parole outcomes for California Department of Corrections parolees who had voluntarily learned the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique while incarcerated at Folsom Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution, and San Quentin Prison in California were compared to parole outcomes for nonmeditating parolees matched for offense, prior commitment record, age, ethnic group, institution, and parole year. In a comparison using eight categories of parole outcome, the TM group had significantly better parole outcomes than their matched control twins over parole periods of six months (p< .0006), one year (p< .0014), and overall (six months to two years) (p< .0014). The TM group also had significantly more clean parole records and less total prison recidivism (defined as parole revocations plus new prison terms). A survey of regularity of TM practice yielded responses from a majority of inmates instructed who were still in prison, and most of these were still practicing the TM technique after up to six years.