Abstract
This report was undertaken by researchers from NatCen Social Research and Get the Data on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and stems from the publication of the Transforming Rehabilitation: A Strategy for Reform. This analytical summary highlights the emerging findings regarding the levels of, and factors associated with, re-offending among offenders on Community Orders. These findings are preliminary and are not based on complete re-offending data and are therefore subject to change when the final report is published.
The report is based on the Offender Management Community Cohort Study (OMCCS) which is a longitudinal study of adult offenders commencing Community Orders between October 2009 and December 2010. The sample focused on those offenders who were managed at Tiers 2−4 and whose data could be matched to Police National Computer records to determine the level and type of re-offending. The results are predominately based on bivariate analysis but the authors also included some initial findings from hazard modelling which determined those factors independently associated with re-offending.
The preliminary findings suggest that 35 per cent of offenders within the sample re-offended within 12 months and that there were a number of variables which made re-offending more or less likely. Those offenders with pro-criminal attitudes, poor attitudes towards their sentence, higher levels of need related to their offending behaviour and particularly those with an OASys identified drug misuse need were all more likely to offend. The length and frequency of contact with their offender manager as well as the quality of the relationship also had an impact on the level of re-offending. Interestingly the findings suggest that frequent but short meetings with their offender manager were more likely to have a negative impact on the likelihood of further convictions.
The report concludes that addressing offenders’ pro-criminal attitudes, their needs and the quality of their relationship with their offender manager were the most important variables in reducing the likelihood of further offending behaviour.
Analytical Summary, Re-Offending by Offenders on Community Orders: Preliminary findings from the Offender Management Community Cohort Study produced by Ministry of Justice (2013) can downloaded on line at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications