Labour calls for investigation into claims that probation staff are “pressured” into lowering the risk of dangerous offenders
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Labour is calling on the Government to launch an
independent investigation into allegations made by a
senior frontline probation officer that staff face “pressure” to
lower the risk rating of dangerous offenders. This comes as
Labour analysis finds that a person is killed every week by an
offender on probation. Speaking on the condition of
anonymity, the senior frontline probation officer told Channel 4
News that there was “organisational...Request free trial
Labour is calling on the Government to launch an independent investigation into allegations made by a senior frontline probation officer that staff face “pressure” to lower the risk rating of dangerous offenders. This comes as Labour analysis finds that a person is killed every week by an offender on probation. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the senior frontline probation officer told Channel 4 News that there was “organisational pressure to lower the risk rating” of complex and riskier cases. She went on to say this was "because you can pass more cases on to a person if they are less resource heavy.” Given the significant danger posed to the public, the party is calling for Dominic Raab to launch an independent investigation led by the HM Chief Inspector of Probation Justice Russell into the claims. Labour analysis finds that one serious further offender has been found guilty of murder every week whilst on probation in England and Wales since 2010. According to the latest figures, there are on average six serious further offence convictions every week or 293 a year since 2010 – including murder, rape, and kidnap. This includes seven serious offenders that have been found guilty of rape every month, or 87 a year. There has been a sharp increase in serious further offence convictions following the privatization of probation in 2014 which was re-nationalised. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of serious further offence convictions increased by over a third (36%) - this includes a 123% increase in the number of serious offenders on probation found guilty of murder. These figures raise serious questions on the process of releasing dangerous prisoners following multiple high-profile failings in the probation service. A devastating report into the probation services following the brutal murder of Zara Aleena by Jordan McSweeney found that the offender has been incorrectly assessed as being of “medium risk” and remained free to attack Aleena. According to the report by the Chief Inspector of Probation, Justin Russell, probation officers are experiencing unmanageable workloads made worse by high staff vacancy rates. Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, said: “The Government stands accused of letting murderers and rapists loose on our streets without the necessary supervision. This is a clear threat to public safety causing great alarm given the high number of murders being committed by offenders on probation. “The Government must launch an investigation into these allegations urgently. If under this Conservative Government dangerous prisoners' risk levels are being downgraded on release, they are responsible for increasing danger to the public. “Labour is the party of law and order. We will get a grip of the failing probation service and end this outrageous practice that puts public safety at risk in the most alarming way imaginable.” Ends Notes:
o In 2014, the Tories split up probation
services into a publicly run National Probation Service (NPS) and
21 privately-operated Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs).
(link)
o In the summer of 2018, it was announced
that the CRCs’ contracts were set to be cut short to 2020, two
years early, after the MoJ concluded that they are unlikely to
work. (link)
o In March 2019, the NAO said that the
taxpayer would have to pay an extra £467m as a result of extra
payments to CRCs and the cos of terminating contracts early. The
NAO also found that, although the number of reoffenders has
reduced, the average number of reoffences they commit has
increased significantly. (link)
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