(Associated Press) - Individuals with prior involvement in the state's criminal justice system account for three out of every four new convictions.

That's one finding of a panel set up to study the problem of recidivism in Massachusetts.

The study found the problem was most severe in the state's houses of correction where 84 percent of those sentenced in 2013 had prior convictions. Of those, more than a quarter had 11 or more convictions.

The study also found that motor vehicle and property crimes accounted for a large portion of short-term jail sentences.

The average sentence for motor vehicles was just over four months while the average sentence for property crimes was just over seven months in 2013.

The findings presented Tuesday were prepared for the state by the Council of State Governments.

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