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Rise in youths re-offending within year of release

04/09/2008

The number of youths who re-offend within a year of being released from prison has risen, new figures show.

The Ministry of Justice today published figures on re-offending for adults and juveniles in England and Wales.

The statistics show that 77 per cent of ten to 17-year-olds were convicted of a further offence following their release in 2006, up from 73.1 per cent the year before.

Overall, however, the figures show that adult and youth re-offending rates have fallen.

Adult re-offending fell 13 per cent from 167.9 re-offences per 100 offenders in 2005 to 146.1 in 2006.

There was also a 1.5 per cent fall in the number of juvenile re-offences, from 125.0 to 123.1 per 100 offenders.

The number of serious re-offences was also down, falling from 0.88 per 100 adult offenders to 0.69 and from 0.9 serious juvenile offences to 0.83.

Justice minister David Hanson said: "Fewer offences mean fewer victims, and that is why we will seek to maintain what has been achieved, and make further improvements."

Beverley Hughes, minister for children and young people, added: '"The figures show that real progress is being made in reducing the frequency of re-offending amongst juveniles. But clearly there is more work to do and we will push forward in our efforts to reduce re-offending further."