Adult and Youth Reoffending in Northern Ireland (2022/23 Cohort) Published Today
Date published:
The Department of Justice (DoJ) today published Research and Statistics Bulletin: Adult and Youth Reoffending In Northern Ireland (2022/23 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 2022/23 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 (2022/23 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 2022/23 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 20,373 people included in the 2022/23 cohort, 3,591 (17.6%) reoffended during the one year observational period (adults 17.3%, youths 24.1%).
- The cohort was made up of 19,455 adults (95.5%) and 918 young people (4.5%). Of the adults within the cohort, 17.3% reoffended. The corresponding figure for young people was 24.1%.
- Of the 3,591 who reoffended, almost half (46.2%) committed their first reoffence within the first three months (adults 46.1%, youths 48.0%).
- In terms of offending history, 63.7% of the cohort had committed previous offences, ranging from one to 455 distinct offences, (adults 65.4%, youths 27.2%).
- Overall, 13.4% of females and 18.7% of males had reoffended (adult females 13.1% and adult males 18.4%, youth females 19.5% and youth males 25.4%).
- The one year proven reoffending rate for;
- custody releases was 46.0% (adults 46.0% and 5 of 9 youths).
- community disposal (supervision) was 28.5% (adults 26.8%, youths 58.3%).
- community disposal (no supervision) was 16.9% (adults 16.8%, youths 31.8%).
- diversionary disposal was 16.0% (adults 14.7%, youths 20.8%).
- The highest reoffending rates were found among those who committed a baseline robbery offence (35.9%), followed by burglary (35.1%) and theft (30.3%). This was similar for adults only (robbery 36.8%, burglary 36.0%, theft 31.0%). For youths, the highest reoffending rates were found among those with a baseline offence of fraud (3 out of 5), followed by drugs (35.6%), burglary (31.6%) and public order (31.3%).
Notes to editors:
- 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
- this website at: (https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/topics/statistics-and-research/reoffending-statistics) or Adult and Youth Reoffending in Northern Ireland (2022/23 Cohort)
- Analytical Services Group, Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3SG. Email
5. To keep up to date with news from the Department follow us on : LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, Youtube, Justice NI (@Justice_NI) / X, www.justice-ni.gov.uk
6. Media enquiries to the Department of Justice Press Office email: or phone: 028 9052 6444
7. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800 hrs and 0800 hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.