Re-offending figures fall but nearly half of prisoners will commit crime again

Almost half of Irish prisoners released in 2009 went on to re-offend, a Central Statistics Office (CSO) report on re-offending has found.

However, prisoners who re-offend no longer make up the majority.

The Prison Recidivism Study for 2009 reports on re-offending among 7,507 offenders released by the Irish Prison Service on completion of a custodial sentence in 2009, based on re-offending and reconviction data up to the end of 2012.

The report found a re-offending rate of 47.5 per cent for offenders released in 2009, a fall of 3.5 per cent from 51 per cent in 2008, itself a fall from 55 per cent in 2007.

Men made up most of the total population assessed and had a higher reoffending rate than women – 48.2 per cent versus 41.2 per cent. Re-offending rates were higher among young offenders at a rate of 54.4 per cent for prisoners under 21.

The re-offending rate fell in most offence groups between 2008-09. However, re-offending in the burglary and related offences group rose from 60.8 per cent to 69.9 per cent.

A separate study of re-offending among offenders placed under the supervision of the Probation Service in 2009 found that 37.3 per cent re-offended, down from 3.8 per cent in 2008.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said: “I welcome the fact that recidivism levels for both those who were released from prison in 2009 and those who were supervised by the Probation Service have fallen by 3.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively.

“I am confident that the joint initiatives recently introduced, including the Community Return and Community Support Schemes, will result in lower recidivism levels being reported in the prison cohort in future. I am very pleased with the continued improvement in offending reduction among those on probation supervision.

“Our justice agencies are each very diverse groups, with their own roles and responsibilities. The Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service have signed a Joint Agency Response to Crime Protocol with the Garda Síochána. Their aim is to target, in a co-ordinated way, those prolific offenders who cause a high level of harm or disruption in communities.

“I am certain that, in collaboration with statutory, community and voluntary partners they will achieve an effective outcome.”

The Prison and Probation Recidivism Studies are available on the Central Statistics Office website.