Day centre reconviction rates

Since their introduction in the Criminal Justice Act 1982, probation day centres have assumed an important role in the work of the probation service and as a sentencing option. This paper discusses the success of day centres in terms of their reconviction rates, while pointing to the limitations of relying solely on this criterion as a measure of success. It is concluded that, taking account of the high-risk offenders who tend to be the recipients of a day centre order (17-25 years old, with several previous convictions and experience of custody), the reconviction rates of centres are not unacceptable, although wide variation among centres merits further study.