Recidivism of criminal offences of probation clients: 2016, 2017 and 2018. comparison of cohorts

In 2022, the State Probation Service (hereinafter SPD) completed a study entitled ‘Repeated infringement of criminal offences by probation clients: Comparison of 2016, 2017 and 2018 cohorts”. The study report is available at: https://www.vpd.gov.lv/lv/probacijas-klientu-noziedzigu-nodarijumu-recidivs-2016-gada-2017gada-un-2018-gada-kohortu-salidzinajums The aim of this study was to: (1) characterise according to probation functions different target groups of probation clients and their changes in time; (2) compare the relapse rates of the different target groups of probation functions by comparing the cohorts of 2016, 2017 and 2018; (3) to characterise a group for which new criminal proceedings have been initiated for the commission of criminal offences related to violence or threat thereof, to carry out an analysis of the repeated violation of violence; (4) characterise probation clients for whom the obligation to participate in probation programmes was determined and analyse how participation in probation programmes and completion thereof is related to the commission of new criminal offences (repetition). The study included a total of 13174 probation clients from various functions — conditionally released from criminal liability, suspended sentenced, conditionally released from imprisonment, persons sentenced with public works, persons sentenced with an additional punishment — probation supervision, minors who have been subject to a compulsory educational measure — public works, persons whose final punishment has been imposed after one or several judgments (combined sentence), i.e., punishment of public works and additional punishment for probation supervision, persons who have been subject to the final punishment following several judgments (combined punishment) applying both suspended deprivation of liberty and social work of punishment. Keywords: offenders, crime, recidivism, repeated criminal offences, State Probation Service, probation clients, conditionally released from criminal liability, suspended sentenced, conditionally released from imprisonment, public service, probation supervision, educational coercive measure — public work, probation programmes