Ministry of Justice & Department for Education linked dataset - England
The MoJ-DfE linked dataset allows analysis to understand links between childhood characteristics, educational outcomes and (re)offending. The dataset includes data from prison, courts, Police National Computer, National Pupil Database, looked-after-children and children in need. It covers variables such as demographics, offending data, school exclusions, and all episodes of children in care. Analysis of this data will help develop the evidence base on understanding the relationships between educational and criminal justice outcomes and the drivers of offending. It will assist in identifying populations that require support through early educational interventions and evaluating interventions to understand whether they are effective.
Component datasets and linkage
This linked dataset includes data from the MoJ including recordable offences, offending histories and sentencing. This has been linked to DfE data including educational characteristics, educational performance, and children in care and other demographics.
| Timeframe | Police National Computer (PNC) Extract: 2000 - 2021. National Pupil Database (NPD): Children born after 31 August 1985 |
|---|---|
| Update Frequency | Annual |
| Population | |
| Coverage | England only |
| Size | PNC: 1.65 million records. NPD: 15 million records |
Introduction to the Ministry of Justice - Department for Education linked dataset
Stakeholder webinars
If you would like your research to be informed by organisations representing the interests of crime and justice system users and/or children and young people, then watch our stakeholder webinars. You will hear from a variety of community stakeholders about their organisation’s priorities and how your research outputs could support their work.
The first webinar features:
- British Association of Social Workers
- Catch-22
- The Magpie Project
- National Children's Bureau
- WellChild
The second webinar features:
The third webinar features:
Examples of research questions
- Is there an association between particular interactions with the education system and offending, and if so, is one of these factors typically the driver?
- How are the relationships between educational and criminal justice outcomes impacted by demographic factors?
- Can education policy have unintended consequences for crime?
This list is illustrative only and intended to demonstrate the research potential of the dataset. For research priorities, see the areas of research interest (external website) or take a look at ADR UK funding opportunities
Core documentation
Data dictionary
Data catalogues can be requested by emailing datalinkingteam@justice.gov.uk and data.sharing@education.gov.uk.
Other supporting resources
| Resource | Description |
| Department for Education ARI 2025 | The DfE Areas of Research Interest sets out the department's priorities for 2025. |
| Ministry of Justice ARI 2020 | The MoJ Areas of Research Interest sets out the department’s critical evidence gaps. |
| Public engagement case study: Consulting a pre-existing advisory group about a research project on ethnicity data | Dr Alice Wickersham investigated similarities and differences in how ethnicity was recorded in the Police National Computer (PNC) and the National Pupil Database (NPD). In 2022, Alice consulted with an advisory group on the emerging findings. |
Research highlights
- Data Insight: Childhood educational predictors of re-offending trajectories.
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Policy Briefing: Care experience, ethnicity and youth justice involvement - key trends and policy implications.
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Data Insight: Changes in school performance and involvement in the criminal justice system.
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Feasibility study: This study explores the use of the MoJ-DfE linked dataset to evaluate early interventions to prevent violent crime.
- For more ADR UK Research Fellows outputs: Five ADR UK Research Fellows are undertaking pathfinder research using this dataset. Find all their publications including blogs and Data Insights via the ADR UK project page. Sign up to our newsletter for updates.
Accessing the data
Access the MoJ-DfE linked dataset via the ONS Secure Research Service. To apply to access this dataset:
1. Apply to become an accredited researcher under the Digital Economy Act 2017
- Apply for researcher accreditation through the People & Projects Service: How to access: Apply for researcher accreditation.
2. Apply to access the MoJ-DfE linked dataset
To access the MoJ-DfE linked dataset, researchers must directly apply to both the MoJ and DfE:
- Complete this ethics self-assessment tool (and/or equivalent institutional ethical approval)
- Complete the application form for secure access to data: Data First secure access to data - GOV.UK
- Send all required paperwork (above) to data.SHARING@education.gov.uk and DataLinkingTeam@Justice.gov.uk.
3. Access the data securely
The options available to access this dataset are:
- Safe Rooms – based in the ONS offices in Titchfield and Newport, open Monday-Friday, 9.00-16.00
- SafePod Network – a small, self-contained secure room with a single workstation
- Assured Organisational Connectivity – the ability to access the ONS Secure Research Service from your office. Check what arrangements your institution already has or can put in place.
ADR UK Research Fellowships
ADR UK funds policy-relevant research using ADR England flagship datasets. Research fellows address priority research questions, generate insights and demonstrate the value of ADR England data. These datasets are held securely within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Service or other trusted research environments.
“I have done research on education policy and youth crime for a few years now using data from a number of countries, and this is probably the best data source that exists today in the world to study youth crime and links between education and crime.”
Find out more
More information about this linked dataset can be found on the ADR UK website and on the MoJ Data First website.
