02/06/2023
Cachella Smith
The MoJ is looking to create single Interventions Units across the 12 probation regions.
The National Association for Probation Officers is “vehemently opposed” to MoJ proposals to absorb specialist sex offender teams into generic Intervention hubs.
The Ministry of Justice is currently in a formal consultation period with trade unions on changes which could see the creation of single Interventions Units within each of the 12 probation regions.
The current system comprises general offending behaviour programmes (usually delivered by probation service officers), a domestic abuse programme (delivered by a mix of probation officers and probation service officers with additional training), and one specialist sex offender unit (staffed by qualified probation officers with extensive experience of working with sex offenders).
The proposals would see all of that delivered by a single Interventions Unit staffed by probation service officers. However, the new model would not require that those with different index offence types must be mixed.
NAPO National Officer Tania Bassett told Police Oracle: “We are vehemently opposed to the idea of disbanding the sex offender unit.
“We think it would be a direct risk to public protection and public safety – the work that the staff do in that unit is much more than just delivering the programme – because of their specialist skills they advise sentence management, they do training, they support people outside of that unit working with sex offenders- if you’ve got a really complex case, they’re your 'go to' people to seek support and advice.
“If you’re holding the case that you do the general management for but this person is attending that programme or even if they're not, those specialist staff are your 'go to' people if you’ve got a case that’s really difficult.
“If you take that resource away it very much then falls on the individual officer to have to manage every single aspect of that persons’ risk and sentence.”
It follows recent reviews of the high profile McSweeney and Bendall cases – both of which had a sexual element.
For Ms Bassett, implementing the proposals following these high profile cases presents “real risk of reputational damage and organisation damage to the probation service.”
Changes to the Domestic Abuse provision had already been made previously – it used to only be delivered by probation officers.
Ms Bassett explained: “Instead of bringing DV back up to being an important and complex piece of work […] they're doing the same with sex offender units.
“Specialisms are really valuable [including] for everyone working the more generic sentence management side of probation.
“In police terminology – if you look at specialist units within the police – child safeguarding, domestic abuse and sex offending – it would be like asking your standard PC on the beat to pick that work up and providing minimum training for them.
“No role is more important than the other but each role is very vital in its own way and you need to have the right expertise to do that specific role.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Our number one priority is public protection and we will never compromise on safety.
“We continue to review our services based on the latest research and evidence of what works to reduce reoffending. Our proposals would mean more staff can deliver high-quality programmes that steer offenders away from crime.”