Higher risk individuals were managed well overall by the National
Probation Service (NPS), but the situation is quite different for
those posing a medium and lower risk of harm. They are managed by
the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) where services to
manage risk of harm, help offenders move away from crime and
deliver the sentence of the court are simply not being delivered
well enough in a sufficient number of cases. Despite heroic
efforts by staff, the service was nowhere near the standard
expected, said Dame Glenys Stacey, HM Chief Inspector of
Probation. Today she published the report of a recent inspection
of probation work in Gloucestershire.
The inspection looked at the quality of probation work carried
out by the CRC and the NPS and assessed the effectiveness of work
undertaken locally with people who have committed crimes. This
was the second inspection of adult probation work undertaken by a
CRC owned by Working Links and the first of the NPS South West
& Central Division.
Overall, the work of the CRC in Gloucestershire was poor. Working
Links has not implemented its plans (as set out in their original
contract bid) for continuity of support for people throughout
their period of supervision. Instead we found cases being
transferred between case managers too often, and staff carrying
too many cases. Allocation decisions were based on a model which
was not fully understood by staff, partly because it was complex,
changing and not fully implemented.
The CRC operating model is not working as it should, and the high
caseloads of responsible officers are unreasonable. Managers and
staff are working hard, but sickness absence levels are high, and
the quality of work is poor overall – because staff are
over-burdened and not given the professional support expected.
Assessment and planning was mixed, but in any event, plans were
not being followed through well enough and some offenders were
not being seen often enough. As a result, the public are more at
risk than necessary, and those people who may turn their lives
around may be denied the chance to do so.
The quality of work from the NPS with higher-risk offenders in
Gloucestershire was reasonably good overall. The court team was
providing a good service, case assessments were thorough, plans
were realistic and the public were protected from harm. Those
under supervision were seen often enough, with any failure to
attend dealt with appropriately. But in the majority of the cases
inspectors reviewed, NPS’ efforts to rehabilitate offenders often
came to little or nothing, either because the offender disengaged
or because, in those cases where specific interventions were
planned to help someone turn away from crime, they were not
actually delivered.
Inspectors made recommendations which included: the CRC reducing
individual caseloads to manageable levels, ensuring managers are
allocated responsibilities which are reasonable and achievable so
that they can support frontline staff, and improving unpaid work
arrangements. The NPS should develop a clear strategy to deliver
rehabilitation activity requirements effectively and ensure that
work to protect the public and manage risk of harm is reviewed
appropriately in all cases.
Dame Glenys Stacey said:
“The National Probation Service was performing reasonably well,
and the public can be reassured that those people who pose a
higher risk are generally being supervised to an acceptable
standard in Gloucestershire, although more could de done to
reduce the risk that individuals reoffend.
“The picture was much more troubling at the Community
Rehabilitation Company, where there have been drastic staff cuts
to try and balance the books. Those remaining are under mounting
pressure and carrying unacceptable workloads that prevent them
doing a good job.
“This CRC’s work is so far below par that its owner and
government need to work together urgently to improve matters, so
that those under supervision and the general public receive the
service they rightly expect, and the staff that remain can do the
job they so wish to do.”
