Adult and Youth Reoffending in Northern Ireland 2021/22 Cohort Published Today
Date published:
The Department of Justice (DoJ) today published Research and Statistics Bulletin: Adult and Youth Reoffending In Northern Ireland (2021/22 Cohort).

This annual Official Statistics publication provides information on the one year proven reoffending rate for offenders who received a non-custodial disposal at court, a diversionary disposal or who were released from custody during 2021/22 within Northern Ireland. Information is presented in relation to the full cohort and also disaggregated in relation to adults (those aged 18 and over) and youths (those aged 17 and under). The main findings of this report are presented below.
Adult and Youth Reoffending in Northern Ireland (2021/22 Cohort)
- This annual bulletin provides information on the one year proven reoffending rate for offenders who received a non-custodial disposal at court, a diversionary disposal or who were released from custody during 2021/22 in Northern Ireland. Information is presented in relation to the full cohort and disaggregated by adults (aged 18 and over) and youths (aged 17 and under).
Of the 19,196 people included in the 2021/22 cohort, 3,386 (17.6%) reoffended during the one year observational period (adults 17.4%, youths 23.5%).
- The cohort was made up of 18,335 adults (95.5%) and 861 young people (4.5%). Of the adults within the cohort, 17.4% reoffended. The corresponding figure for young people was 23.5%.
- Of the 3,386 who reoffended, over two-fifths (44.8%) committed their first reoffence within the first three months (adults 44.7%, youths 46.5%).
- In terms of offending history, 65.3% of the cohort had committed previous offences, ranging from one to 488 distinct offences, (adults 67.0%, youths 28.2%).
- Overall, 13.4% of females and 18.7% of males had reoffended (adult females 13.1% and adult males 18.4%, youth females 20.4% and youth males 24.3%).
The one year proven reoffending rate for[1];
- custody releases was 45.4% (adults 45.3% and 4 of 5 youths).
- community disposal (supervision) was 28.6% (adults 27.9%, youths 39.4%).
- community disposal (no supervision) was 17.1% (adults 17.0%, youths 34.3%).
- diversionary disposal was 15.7% (adults 13.8%, youths 22.9%).
The highest reoffending rates were found amongst those who had committed a baseline burglary offence (41.7%), followed by robbery (28.6%) and theft (26.6%). This was similar for adults only (burglary 42.1%, theft 27.1%, robbery 26.8%). For youths, the highest reoffending rates were found among those with a baseline offence of robbery (1 out of 1), followed by drugs (34.3%) and public order (29.4%).
Notes to editors:
1. In 2013, the Department of Justice’s Analytical Services Group embarked on a project to revise the methodology used to calculate recidivism rates within Northern Ireland, bringing it more in line with established methodology in England and Wales. For a more detailed methodology, refer to ‘Northern Ireland Reoffending Methodology: Methodology and Glossary Part 1’.
2. Any study of reoffending rates is prone to misunderstanding and misrepresentation if sufficient care is not taken to observe the caveats around each figure. For example, for both adult and youth cases, the reoffending rates are highest for those released from custody and lowest for those given a diversionary disposal. What needs to be taken into account in the interpretation of these figures is, (a) the seriousness of the offence which led to the disposal in the first place and (b) the previous criminal history of the individual as a factor in the original disposal, together with a range of other criminogenic, demographic and administrative/procedural issues. What these figures do not mean is that diversionary disposals are, irrespective of other factors, necessarily a more efficient deterrent to reoffending.
3. Official Statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs and are produced free from any political interference. They are also subject to restrictions in terms of pre-release access.
4. The bulletin will be available in PDF format from either
- the publication section of this website or
- Analytical Services Group, Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3SG. Email.
5. Press queries about this publication should be directed to the DoJ Press Office on 028 9052 6444.
[1] Base reoffending rates should not be used to measure the comparative success of different disposal types in their own right. The reason for this is that different offender characteristics and histories, coupled with different offence types, will themselves be related to the type of disposal given. Therefore, offender profiles may differ substantially between the different disposal types.