WIREDGOV

A new service will provide valuable reoffending data for up to 150 organisations over the pilot year so they can see what interventions work to reduce reoffending.

The Justice Data Lab pilot is a new statistical service open to all organisations who work with offenders, with particular focus for supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), which was launched in April 2013.

Currently too many VCS organisations working with offenders do not have the opportunity to robustly evaluate their success. The 12 month trial was set up to provide these organisations tailored re-offending data for the cohort of offenders they work with. This will help them understand if their interventions are effective at driving down reoffending and identify where they should invest their resources.

As more organisations use this service, it will become an invaluable resource for the VCS, creating a database of what works at reducing reoffending.

Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said:

‘Helping these organisations understand how their work makes the crucial difference between an offender breaking the cycle of crime, or repeating the same mistakes again and again, can transform the criminal justice system.

‘For too long they have been working with a hand tied behind their back, often making a real difference but too often unable to understand how or why. Now they will know where to invest their valuable time and money.

‘I look forward to more VCS organisations using the Justice Data Lab as we build a valuable library of what works when it comes to cutting crime.’

The Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation Reforms will see VCS organisations playing a far greater role in the way offenders are managed in the community, helping to bring down reoffending rates. Providing this data will help these organisations compete to deliver rehabilitation services in the future.

The Ministry of Justice will publish findings from the Justice Data Lab later this year, including information about the individual organisations, the programme and their reoffending data, for example maintaining family contact to change offending behaviour or the use of mentoring to provide guidance and support. This will allow those working with offenders to clearly see what works, creating a library of best practice.

In January this year the Justice Secretary announced radical reforms to the rehabilitation of offenders aimed at tackling our stubbornly high reoffending rates.

Key elements of the reforms are:

The new approach will see providers only paid in full if they are successful at reducing reoffending, making taxpayer’s money work harder.

Notes to editors: