Ministry of Justice Data Lab

Summary The Justice Data Lab (JDL) was set up in 2013 by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and gives organizations working with offenders access to re-offending data. The information provided helps organizations to assess the impact of their work on reducing re-offending; provides evidence to funders and clients; and develops the evidence base of effective rehabilitation. The case for the JDL was presented to the MoJ in 2012 by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) who surveyed criminal justice charities to understand the difficulties in evaluating reoffending. The vast majority found the process of accessing offending data difficult. NPC proposed the creation of a JDL to improve access to re-offending data, particularly for charities, and have worked with the MoJ and an expert panel since to make this a reality. The Justice Data Lab was launched as a pilot in 2013, and confirmed as a permanent service in 2015.