Nearly half of prisoners released in 2010 reoffended by 2013

However, the figures showed a slight decline on the previous year. The rate of or recidivism for prisoners released in 2010 was 45.1 per cent, a decrease of 2.4 per cent on the 2009 figure.

The rate of recidivism was higher for males (46 per cent) than for females (37.8 per cent) and was generally higher for prisoners released at a younger age, with 49.8 per cent of under-21s reoffending compared to 29.4 per cent of 51s and over.

Individuals who had been imprisoned for burglary and related offences showed the highest rate of recidivism (68.6 per cent).

The CSO has also published new figures on reoffending of those referred to the Probation Service in 2010.

The rate of recidivism for offenders referred in 2010 was 37.5 per cent, up 0.2 per cent on findings from the 2009 cohort.

The rate of recidivism was higher for males (38.5 per cent) than for females (30.1 per cent), and decreased with increasing age from 62.3 per cent for those under 18 on the date of their referral to the Probation Service, to 24.1 per cent for those between 45 and 64.

The rate of recidivism was higher for those on Probation Orders (40.9 per cent) than for those on Community Service Orders (33.9 per cent).