The observation that penal institutions unwittingly reinforce the deviant tendencies of inmates has been repeatedly made by criminologists. How can the cycle be broken?Why do so many criminals repeat their offenses? In a landmark study conducted by Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck, the conclusion emerged that about three fourths of those entering jail have been there before. The younger the person at the time of the first offense, the higher the rate of return to jail and the sooner it occurs.Read more: Entering Prison for a Greater Cause