Community Orders: Reoffenders

Our approach is guided by evidence on what works to reduce reoffending, and we work with partners across government to support offenders in custody and the community to build skills, secure a job and stable housing, access treatment for drug and alcohol use, and develop the personal skills and behaviours that help individuals turn away from crime.

Evidence has shown that community orders and suspended sentences can be more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. The evidence published in both 2015 and 2019, which matched groups of offenders, found that short sentences were associated with higher reoffending compared to court orders by approximately 4 percentage points. This is why, in the Sentencing Act 20206, we have introduced a presumption for courts to suspend short custodial sentences of 12-months or less unless an exemption applies or in exceptional circumstances.

In 2025, the Ministry of Justice published the Reducing Reoffending Synthesis of Evidence on Effectiveness of Interventions, providing an overview of the evidence on what works to reduce reoffending. This includes evidence on key interventions including on accommodation, substance misuse, education and employment.