Crime and justice

Research using secure data in the Secure Research Service (SRS) to understand patterns of offending, victimisation and justice system outcomes. This includes analysis of crime trends, policing, courts, rehabilitation, reoffending and the wider social factors influencing justice.

In this section

  1. Publish a case study
  2. Socio‑emotional characteristics in early childhood and offending behaviour in adolescence
  3. Ethnic inequalities in the criminal justice system
  4. Data First: harnessing the potential of linked administrative data for the justice system

1. Publish a case study

If you use ONS Secure Research Service data and would like to discuss writing a future case study with us, please get in touch at SRS.Impact@ons.gov.uk.

Please also report any outputs here: Outputs Reporting Form

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2. Socio‑emotional characteristics in early childhood and offending behaviour in adolescence

Date: January 2026

This research used linked Ministry of Justice and Department for Education data to examine how early socio‑emotional development relates to later offending.

It identified distinct cognitive and socio‑emotional domains in early childhood, with socio‑emotional difficulties strongly linked to school exclusions and, in turn, increased risk of adolescent offending. Exclusions emerged as the strongest school‑based predictor of offending, while socio‑emotional difficulties retained both direct and indirect effects on later behaviour. The findings have informed policy discussions on early intervention, school behaviour management and youth justice, and supported further research funding.

Read the full case study at Socio-emotional characteristics in early childhood and offending behaviour in adolescence.

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3. Ethnic inequalities in the criminal justice system

Date: October 2025

This research analysed magistrates' and Crown Court datasets from the Ministry of Justice Data First programme to examine the extent and drivers of ethnic disparities in court outcomes.

It found that defendants from many ethnic minority groups were more likely to be remanded in custody, receive custodial sentences and receive longer sentences than White British defendants, even after accounting for relevant case and court factors. The findings revealed previously unseen disparities and prompted the Ministry of Justice to publish disaggregated ethnicity statistics for the first time in 2024. The results have shaped policy debates, informed judicial discussions and contributed evidence to national and international reviews.

Read the full case study at: Ethnic inequalities in the criminal justice system – ADR UK.

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4. Data First: harnessing the potential of linked administrative data for the justice system

Data First is an ongoing Ministry of Justice programme, funded by ADR UK, which links administrative datasets across the criminal, civil and family justice systems and with data from other government departments.

By creating de‑identified, research‑ready datasets, the programme enables accredited researchers to investigate the needs, pathways and outcomes of people who interact with the justice system. It supports improved evidence for policy and practice, including understanding repeat users, links between education and offending, and factors that influence sentencing and reoffending. Linked datasets are available to researchers through the ONS Secure Research Service and the SAIL Databank.

Read the full case study at: Data First: harnessing the potential of linked administrative data for the justice system – ADR UK

If you would like to submit a case study please contact us: SRS.Impact@ons.gov.uk.

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5.

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