Reconviction rates in Scotland: 2016-2017 offender cohort

Annex C – Uses and users of reconviction rates and average number of reconvictions per offender

C1 The Scottish Government carried out a user survey for the Reconviction Rates in Scotland statistical bulletin in December 2014. The results of the survey can be found on the Scottish Government's website. Some of the points noted in the survey have been addressed in subsequent bulletins.

C2 Reconviction rates are a helpful tool in supporting policy development. It also informs implementation of the Scottish Government’s Justice Strategy, which seeks to prevent and reduce further offending, by addressing the underlying cause, and delivering a decisive shift in the balance between community and custodial sentences. This requires collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders across the justice system, who are looking to safely and effectively manage and support those who have committed offences and help them to reintegrate into their communities, in order to prevent further offending.

C3 Users of information on reconviction rates include:

• Scottish Government
• Community Justice Scotland
• Local Authorities
• Scottish Prison Service
• Police Scotland
• Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• Scottish Sentencing Council
• Risk Management Authority
• Parole Board for Scotland
• Health boards
• Victim Support
• Third sector partners
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Association of Directors of Social Work

C4 We are made aware of new users, and their uses of this data, on an ongoing basis and we will continue to include their contributions to the development of reconviction statistics in Scotland.

C5 Local authorities find the data useful for identifying local issues and to inform feedback on performance to partners. These data are useful in terms of providing contextual information to help assess the effectiveness of justice programmes, and for gaining understanding about structural patterns in offending, such as the age-crime curve.

C6 The Scottish Government uses the data for purposes of government, which includes developing policies to reduce reoffending, answering parliamentary questions from MSPs from all political parties, and answering freedom of information requests.