27% of those given probation re-offended within year

Just over one-quarter (27%) of offenders who received probation in 2020 re-offended within a year, according to the latest CSO figures.

This represents an increase of two percentage points when compared with the equivalent rate for 2019 (25%).

The figures also show that more than a third (37%) of men aged under 25 years who received probation orders in 2020 re-offended within a year of receiving probation.

In comparison, a quarter (25%) of young women re-offended during the same period.

There were also increases between 2019 and 2020 in the re-offending rate of people serving probation for offences related to assault (up five percentage points), drugs (up four percentage points), and road and traffic offences (up four percentage points).

Regionally, the highest level of re-offending (31%) was by probationers from the Cork and Kerry.

In Dublin, where the highest number of probationers lived (1,058 of 3,478), 27% of probationers re-offended within a year.

The highest number of probation orders were issued in 2020 to people who committed drugs offences (605 of 3,478).

Just over one-fifth (23%) of these were convicted of another offence within a year of receiving their probation.

Almost half of offenders (45%) committed at least one more offence for which they received a conviction within three yeare, from2018-2020.