How to Access and Use Ministry of Justice Datasets for Academic Research

November 27th, 2024

University Place 3.204

Data First is a ground-breaking data linkage programme led by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and funded by ADR UK to link and enable access to administrative data from across the justice system and beyond for research. This programme enables innovative new research across the intersections of justice, health, education and more.

This showcase, in collaboration between the MoJ and the Department of Criminology at the University of Manchester, invites MoJ analysts who will provide an overview of the datasets the department makes available to researchers as part of its Data First programme. The programme includes linked data from Magistrates’ courts, Crown Court, Pr*son and Probation services, and Civil Courts and Family Courts, as well as its linked Family Courts-Census-Cafcass and MoJ-DFE datasets.

MoJ analysts will showcase what kinds of research the data is and can be used for, how it can be accessed, and run some practical demonstrations. Additionally, researchers with previous experiences of working with these datasets will provide valuable insights into how using this data can support your research. Research and professional staff and students of all career stages are welcome to attend and engage.

As researchers, you can access the following three linked datasets:

1. Data First: Cross-Justice System – England and Wales

The MoJ Cross-Justice linked dataset joins data from criminal courts, Pr*son and probation services, as well as civil and family courts. This linkage enables research on who the individuals are who reappear in different parts of the justice system, questions about the overlaps and intersections between users of services in different justice jurisdictions, and their journeys and pathways.

2. Data First: Family Court linked to Cafcass and Census 2021 – England and Wales

The Data First Family court – Cafcass and Census linked dataset contains information on adoption, divorce, Family Law Act, public law and private law cases, and their legal outcomes, in England and Wales. Available via the SAIL Databank, the de-identified linked dataset permits unprecedented research of the family and household characteristics of family court users.

3. Ministry of Justice & Department for Education linked dataset – England

The Ministry of Justice & Department for Education linked dataset allows analysis of the links between childhood characteristics, educational outcomes and (re)offending. The dataset includes data from Pr*son, courts, Police National Computer, National Pupil Database, looked-after-children, and children in need.

Data First has enabled over 40 research projects covering the intersections of justice, education, health and more. These projects have investigated a wide range of issues across the justice system, including the role of ethnicity in criminal justice system outcomes, the impact of interventions and programmes such as Universal Credit and enforced alcohol abstinence and an exploration of the links between care experience, ethnicity, and the involvement with the youth justice system.

Ministry of Justice staff will be available to answer questions and provide advice about this fellowship opportunity at the showcase of our datasets on the 27th of November.

Host or Publisher Department of Criminology, University of Manchester