October 22, 2019 3.52 pm This story is over 52 months old

Third of Lincolnshire criminals re-offend within a year

The highest rate was among shoplifters

Nearly 30% of adult offenders in Lincolnshire will go on to carry out further offences in the next 12 months, according to a county council report.

Scrutiny councillors will be told next Tuesday that the county has an average of 1,500 offenders per quarter, with around 443 of those going on to re-offend.

Re-offending is when the offender goes on to commit another crime (not necessarily the same one) within 12 months.

Figures for the first quarter of 2019-20, show that the number of re-offenders jumped by 17.5% compared to the previous data, though the numbers had been reducing since the beginning of 2018-19.

In a report to Lincolnshire County Council’s Public Protection and Community Committee, officers say: “In Lincolnshire, as recognised nationally, a disproportionately high proportion of crime is committed by a small number of prolific offenders.

“These offenders have a significant social impact upon our communities and impart an unacceptable physical, emotional and financial impact upon victims, as well as a substantial resource burden upon agencies both within and outside criminal justice,” they add.

A table showing the re-offending rates by the primary offence carried out. Picture: Lincolnshire County Council

Those carrying out shoplifting had the highest rate of re-offending with 43.7% of criminals going on to carry out an average of a further five offences.

Others of note were drug possession, with 30.2% of re-offenders going on to carry out an average of 2.9 offences, and public disorder, with 30.1% of offenders carrying out another 3.8 offences.

Although the age group with the most offenders was the 20-24 bracket, the highest re-offending rates were carried out by those aged 35-39 (38.7%).

The report also highlights how, out of 49 18-year-old offenders, 36.7% of those also went on to commit further acts.

Men have the highest rate of re-offending at 31% compared to 24.3% of female offenders, however, women on average carry out a higher number of re-offences at 4.3 compared to 3.6.

Councillors will be told how the work of a Reducing Offending Core Priority Group, a project which includes Lincolnshire County Council the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership – is working collaboratively to reduce re-offending rates by 2%.

It includes a series of reviews as well as work with partners organisations to rehabilitate the most prolific offenders by seeking to address the “complex” underlying causes of their behaviour.


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