Reconviction Rates in Scotland: 2018-19 Offender Cohort

Analyses of trends in reconviction statistics up to the latest cohort of 2018-19.


Table 11: Reconviction rates by offender characteristics: 2018-19 cohort

Index disposal in 2018-19 by age Percentage of male offenders reconvicted1 Percentage of female offenders reconvicted1
Number of previous convictions2 Number of previous convictions2
All None 1 or 2 3 to 10 Over 10 All None 1 or 2 3 to 10 Over 10
All 29 11 19 30 51 25 8 20 32 51
under 21 35 22 43 59 71 25 17 36 49 **
21 to 25 32 13 24 44 64 23 8 24 42 62
26 to 30 31 9 16 32 58 29 8 22 42 63
31 to 40 32 7 15 26 53 28 6 17 31 55
over 40 21 5 8 18 41 19 4 15 21 41
Discharged from custody3 44 10 21 34 59 46 5 44 34 64
under 21 45 22 52 51 61 56 ** ** ** **
21 to 25 48 15 25 45 66 63 ** ** 70 75
26 to 30 46 7 21 34 62 46 ** ** 31 68
31 to 40 46 10 14 25 58 47 8 46 24 61
over 40 36 4 10 24 52 38 3 30 21 64
Extended Sentences 9 6 10 13 9 ** ** ** ** **
under 21 7 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
21 to 25 30 ** ** 31 ** ** ** ** ** **
26 to 30 4 ** ** ** - ** ** ** ** **
31 to 40 5 ** ** 9 - ** ** ** ** **
over 40 5 8 - ** 8 ** ** ** ** **
Supervised Release Orders 47 ** 18 36 60 18 ** ** ** **
under 21 52 ** ** 39 ** ** ** ** ** **
21 to 25 51 ** ** 48 65 ** ** ** ** **
26 to 30 43 ** ** 33 51 ** ** ** ** **
31 to 40 50 ** ** 25 62 ** ** ** ** **
over 40 29 ** ** ** 46 ** ** ** ** **
Restriction of Liberty Order 36 16 29 35 51 27 7 14 29 52
under 21 51 28 57 78 80 24 ** ** ** **
21 to 25 42 23 36 44 66 21 ** ** 33 **
26 to 30 38 6 15 38 64 41 ** ** 36 **
31 to 40 37 - 18 28 52 34 - 14 29 66
over 40 22 3 11 16 38 17 - 13 24 32
Legacy community orders4 13 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
under 21 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
21 to 25 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
26 to 30 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
31 to 40 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
over 40 9 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Community Payback Orders5 29 16 24 31 48 29 11 26 38 53
under 21 40 30 46 61 ** 37 28 47 50 **
21 to 25 35 20 31 44 64 31 14 33 47 60
26 to 30 28 12 16 29 55 30 6 21 38 71
31 to 40 30 7 18 28 51 32 9 22 40 56
over 40 20 8 12 20 36 21 - 19 29 38
Drug Treatment and Testing Order 63 ** ** 51 66 67 ** ** 60 81
under 21 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
21 to 25 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
26 to 30 66 ** ** ** 59 69 ** ** 60 **
31 to 40 63 ** ** 41 69 76 ** ** 73 80
over 40 60 ** ** ** 63 57 ** ** ** **
Monetary 22 10 16 25 43 22 7 17 32 45
under 21 25 16 37 51 ** 17 11 32 ** **
21 to 25 22 11 20 40 58 20 5 29 42 **
26 to 30 23 10 14 32 50 28 7 15 58 52
31 to 40 24 8 14 23 48 24 8 17 29 47
over 40 17 5 6 16 36 18 5 12 20 40
Other6 23 9 15 30 46 19 8 17 26 45
under 21 29 20 33 67 ** 20 15 32 39 **
21 to 25 23 10 18 48 57 16 8 17 36 **
26 to 30 27 8 17 34 61 24 8 26 37 56
31 to 40 26 6 12 25 49 21 5 11 26 51
over 40 16 3 6 16 36 16 5 13 17 35

1. Shading has been added to the table to distinguish the different reconviction rates visually. The darker the shading, the higher the reconviction rate. White numbers are used on darker backgrounds for contrast.

2. Convictions since the start of 1989. Caution should be exercised when comparing this table with similar tables in previous publications. There will be fewer previous convictions in earlier cohorts because the recording of convictions in the SOI started in 1989.

3. Custody includes imprisonment, young offender institutions, and orders for lifelong restriction. Supervised release orders and extended sentences are presented separately for the first time this year.

4. Legacy community order refers to Community Service Orders (CSOs) and Probation Orders (POs) which were replaced by Community Payback Orders for crimes or offences committed after 1 February 2011. Legacy community orders given on or after 1 February 2011 are for crimes or offences committed prior to that date.

5. Community Payback Orders (CPOs) were introduced by the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 and came into effect from 1 February 2011. The CPO replaces provisions for Community Service Orders, Probation Orders and Supervised Attendance Orders.

6. Includes Supervised Attendance Orders; remit to children's hearing; community reparation order; caution; admonition; absolute discharge; insanity; guardianship; and hospital order.

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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