Justice Data Lab launched

A pioneering new service giving charities and voluntary organisations more information about what works to reduce reoffending has been launched today.

The Justice Data Lab will, for the first-time, give voluntary and community sector (VCS) agencies access to high-quality reoffending data tailored to their needs. This will allow them to better understand the impact of their work and design more effective interventions to stop people returning to a life of crime.

Expert analysts will match data from organisations working with offenders with national records to produce reoffending rates for that group of individuals.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said:

'Reoffending has been too high for too long and we need a revolution in the way we tackle it. Providers must be able to see what works if they are to break the depressing cycle of crime.

"Giving the voluntary sector the right tools to understand their impact will allow them to compete for contracts on a level playing field with the confidence that they are working from sound evidence and proven success.'

The innovative new service has been set up as part of the Transforming Rehabilitation agenda, which proposes a greater role for the VCS and private sector in tackling reoffending on a payment by results basis.

Through sharing the data a library of valuable information will be created that can be used to inform rehabilitation schemes up and down the country, creating a culture of best practice and transparency, driving better outcomes and creating safer communities.

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