In 2019, CSO released estimates of prison re-offending that combined individuals who received both fine sentences or custodial sentences into a single re-offending indicator. A fine sentence is a fine imposed by the court, for example for a road traffic offence. In this publication, chapters 3 - 5 now separates the data into custodial (chapters 3 and 4) and fine sentence (chapter 5) cohorts. This has been carried out so that estimates, primarily relating to individuals who receive a custodial or “prison” sentence (chapter 3 and 4), can be provided. Statistics on non-custodial re-offending such as probation or fine sentence re-offending are presented separately. Chapter 5 in this publication provides re-offending estimates about individuals who received a fine sentence sanction by courts. The CSO also publish separately estimates of Probation Re-offending. Chapter 6 of this publication provides re-offending estimates of both custodial and fine sentence re-offending together so that it is clear to see how historical prison re-offending estimates that CSO have published compare with the updated indicators presented in Chapters 3 - 5. 

More than half (55%) of prisoners released from custody in 2014 re-offended within three years

• Re-offending rates are down on 2011 levels when nearly two thirds (64%) of prisoners released in that year re-offended within three years
• Younger age groups have higher custodial re-offending rates, with nearly four fifths (79.6%) of released prisoners aged under 21 re-offending within three years of being released
• Less than one third (29.5%) of those aged over 50 who were released from custody in 2014 re-offended within three years
• In 2014, slightly more females re-offended within 3 years of release (58%) than males (55%), even though the vast majority of released prisoners were male (93%)
• Some 40.2% of prisoners released in 2017 re-offended within a year, compared to 46.2% of prisoners released in 2011 who re-offended within a year

Further methodological details are available at: Prison Re-offending Estimates 2011-2017 Technical Note