In April 2019 the BBC Shared Data Unit reported the number of people dying while on probation in England and Wales had risen by almost a third in three years.
Campaign groups said there had been "institutional indifference" towards offenders released from custody.
A social worker said her job had become "a treadmill of bureaucracy".
The Ministry of Justice said a "great deal of caution was needed when trying to draw conclusions" from its figures.
The BBC's Shared Data Unit analysed Ministry of Justice data from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
It found:
- Last year 966 deaths of offenders were recorded, compared to 752 in 2015-16
- About one in three of those deaths were self-inflicted
- In 2014-15, there were 558 deaths, but that was before 40,000 extra offenders were brought under supervision following government reforms
This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside BBC staff.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- The Northern Echo: Probation reforms criticised after hundreds die while under supervision 15 April 2019
- The Northern Echo: Opinion: Probation is not working 15 April 2019
- Essex: The Gazette: Sodexo chief says he cannot be 'responsible for someone’s life on probation' 15 April 2019
- Basildon: Yellow Advertiser: Essex probation company defends record as suicides and homicides shoot up after privatisation 15 April 2019
- Bradford Telegraph & Argus: Number of people who died while on probation increases by 138% 15 April 2019
- Teesside Live: More and more offenders are dying when they leave prison - with 'self-inflicted' deaths on the rise 15 April 2019
- Nottinghamshire Live: Number of people dying after leaving prison has risen over the last four years 15 April 2019
- Leicestershire Live: Number of people dying after leaving prison leaps in 4 years since private companies took over probation roles 15 April 2019
- Cornish Stuff: News Insight: Probation deaths rise in an “irredeemably flawed” system 15 April 2019
- York: The Press: Shock offender death figures revealed 16 April 2019
The story was also used by South East Today, BBC Tees, BBC Radio Kent, BBC Surrey and BBC Sussex.
