Proportion of long-term reoffending on the Isle of Man doubles since 2016

Figures highlight fall in overall convictions, drop in quick reoffending, but rise in longer-term cases

Newly released data on reoffending rates on the Isle of Man reveal significant changes in conviction patterns from 2016 to 2024.

The figures were released by the Department of Home Affairs following a Freedom of Information request from Manx Radio.

The number of people convicted each year has almost halved, falling from 194 in 2016 to 103 in 2024, with the lowest figure recorded in 2022, when only 41 individuals were convicted.

Alongside this decline, the proportion of offenders reconvicted within 12 months has varied considerably.

After rising to a peak of just over 20 percent in 2020, the rate dropped sharply to under five percent in 2022, before settling at around seven percent in 2024. In absolute terms, the number of individuals reconvicted within a year fell from 27 in 2016 to seven in 2024.

By contrast, reconvictions taking place more than 12 months after release or supervision have become more common. The rate climbed from 14 percent in 2016 to around 30 percent in 2024, peaking at 32 percent in 2021.

The figures also show that the majority of those convicted each year have no previous convictions. On average, around two-thirds of individuals fall into this category, with the share ranging from 53 percent in 2021 to 74 percent in 2018.

When looking specifically at serious offences – such as violence, drug-related, or sexual crimes – the number of individuals reconvicted within 12 months remains comparatively low.

The rate stood at 9.5 percent in 2020, but has since fallen to below four percent in 2024.

It’s important to note that the figures are sensitive to changes in the overall number of convictions. In 2022, for example, just two cases of reconviction translated into a rate of 4.9 percent because of the small cohort size that year.