This morning, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published the results of its most recent estimates of probation re-offending, which have remained relatively static over time.

In 2013, 28% of probationers re-offending within one year, compared to 31.1% in 2016.

Cohort

In the most recent cohort for which a three-year re-offending rate is available (those placed on probation in 2014), almost half (47.2%) of individuals committed at least one re-offence for which they received a conviction.

Under-18s (45.6%) were more than twice as likely to re-offend within a year than those aged over-65 (21.7%).

The highest proportion of one-year re-offending is among individuals who were initially placed into probation as a result of theft (39.1%) or public order-related offences (37.5%).

Half (50.6%) of one-year probation re-offenders received a custodial sanction for their re-offending offence, with the other half receiving a non-custodial sentence such as a fine or a community service order

Statistician Felix Coleman said probation re-offending estimates are calculated using data provided by the Irish Probation Service and An Garda Síochána's PULSE reporting system.

Rates 

There is negligible difference in the overall re-offending rates between males and females. Although the majority of individuals who received probation orders in 2016 were male (85%), slightly more males re-offended (30.3%) than females (30%).

In addition to having the highest proportion of re-offending (39.1%), theft-related offences also contained the highest number of individuals who received probation orders in 2016.

A total of 946 out of 4,447 (21.2%) individuals who received probation orders in 2016 did so as a result of theft-related offences. Individuals who received probation orders for public order offences (507) accounted for 11.4% of individuals who received probation orders in 2016.