Investigating criminals: why they reoffend and what to do about it

Investigative Correspondent Conor Ryan looks at why criminals reoffend, and asks what can be done in the legal and prison systems to buck the trend

ON any given day, one of the busiest places in any town will be the building that houses the District Court.

These complexes are routinely thronged with people on either side of the law. The ultimate intention is that the punishments meted out during the daily sittings are enough to ensure that the people facing charges do not come back.