Key findings: 

• Over six in ten individuals (61%) who were released from custodial sentences during 2017 were convicted of re-offending within three years of release.
• Re-offending tends to decline with age. While 84% of young adults re-offended within three years of being released, just over one quarter (27%) of those aged over 50 re-offended in the same period.
• Individuals linked to custodial sentences relating to Public Order offences (78%) or Burglary offences (78%) were the most likely to re-offend within three years of release.
• One-year re-offending rates for individuals released in 2020 indicate that 41% re-offended within a year after being released from custody.
• Around half (48%) of the re-offending that was committed by individuals released in 2020 was linked to just two of the 16 offence categories (Public Order or Theft Related offences).
• Individuals who indicated they were living in Westmeath (60%) and Cavan (53%) at the time of their release had the highest one-year re-offending rate while those living in Wexford, Sligo, and Donegal (23%) had the lowest tendency to re-offend.

See figure and tables that include controlled drug offences and public order offence data:

• figure 2.2 Individuals released from custody in 2017 by 3-year re-offending indicator and offence type
• table 2.2 Individuals released from custody in 2017 classified by 3-year re-offending indicator and offence type
• table 2.3 Individuals released from custody in 2017 classified by 3-year re-offending indicator, offence relating to release and re-offending offence type.
• figure 3.3 Individuals released from custody in 2017 by 1-year re-offending indicator and offence type
• table 3.4 Individuals released from custody in 2017 classified by 1-year re-offending indicator and offence type
• table 3.5 Individuals released from custody in 2017 classified by 1-year re-offending indicator, offence relating to release and re-offending offence type.
• figure 3.5 Individuals released from custody in 2020 classified by re-offence type and re-offending sanction type.