What do we know about the changing characteristics of the offender population in Scotland, focusing on the characteristics of those convicted of a crime according to age, sex, and the types of offences committed over the life-course? More specifically, what do we know about changes in the prevalence and frequency of conviction, including patterns of violent crime (both sexual and non-sexual), and the demographic profile of those involved?
Background
The Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice aims to support rehabilitation, use custody only where there is no alternative and work to reduce reoffending and revictimisation. It also aims to establish an effective, modern person-centred and trauma-informed approach to justice in which everyone can have trust, including as victims, those accused of crimes and as individuals in civil disputes. As such, Justice Analytical Services have identified the theme of ‘Sentencing Prisons & Rehabilitation’ as a research priority. Robust research on offenders, their rehabilitation and sentencing patterns will inform work towards these aims.
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Related UKRI funded projects
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ADR UK Data First Evaluation Fellowship
Until recently, the large amounts of administrative data routinely collected about offenders as they are moved through the Criminal Justice System have been inaccessible to research. Instead, our understanding has largel...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Surrey
Why might this be relevant?
The project focuses on analyzing offenders' characteristics, patterns of conviction, and the impact of interventions, aligning with the question's scope.
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Understanding Offender Rehabilitation and Supervision
Offender rehabilitation in England and Wales is in crisis. 57% of adults released from short custodial sentences re-offend within just 1 year of their release. Lack of rehabilitation is a key driver of record-high prison...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Strathclyde
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on offender rehabilitation in England and Wales, not specifically on changing characteristics of the offender population in Scotland.
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Lives Sentenced: The Punishment Careers of Persistent Offenders
There has been little research examining how those who are punished by the criminal justice system experience and give meaning to their sentences. Research that does exist has largely focused on one single sentence. Howe...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow
Why might this be relevant?
The project explores the meaning of sentences for persistent offenders, partially addressing the question's focus on offender characteristics and patterns of conviction.