One in three people re-offend in Kingston according to figures released by the London Probation Trust.

The most recent figures come from data compiled between October 2009 to September 2010.

Probation officers work with offenders who are given community orders or custodial sentences of more than 12 months.

In Kingston 35.3 per cent of offenders who served more than 12 months in custody re-offended. 

This is almost 1 per cent more than the borough’s target re-offending rate at 34.4 per cent.

But in neighbouring borough Richmond, the probation trust has done better than its target re-offending rate of 34.5 per cent, as only 30.4 per cent of offenders re-offended.

Croydon and Wandsworth boroughs also had lower re-offending rates against their given targets – but the latter was given more leeway with a higher target of re-offending being acceptable.

Boroughs such as Hounslow and Sutton did not meet their re-offending targets and had higher re-offending rates.

A spokesman from the London Probation Trust said: “Straight comparisons can be very misleading and even the Ministry of Justice confirms that the figures are not designed to be compared – it is not a ‘league table’.

“Different local factors such as demographics, varying police detection rates and use of cautions strongly influence these figures.

"Sometimes offenders re-offend in other boroughs, there are also different categories of offender and different types and patterns of offending and re-offending.

“Also some offenders will unfortunately, re-offend before work to address their offending has even begun.”

Magistrate Joan McConn, who previously sat at Kingston Magistrates’ Court, said: “Prison costs a lot of money and does not necessarily work for a lot of offenders. We do get a few back in.

“I think community orders are a good thing as they keep people in society and they are paying back for their wrong.

"People also like to see these people doing something for society."