A blended approach to risk management

The Inspectorate commissions leading academics to present their views on specific topics in order to inform debate and help everyone’s understanding of what helps and what hinders probation and youth offending services. The latest report is a particularly interesting one; “Risk and Desistance: a blended approach to risk management” has… HM Inspectorate of Probation has published the latest report in its “Academic Insights” series which is aimed at everyone within the probation sector with an interest in the evidence base. ...

Viewpoint: why local solutions to offender management are vital

From 26 June 2021, the new probation service will be responsible for managing all those on a community order or licence following their release from prison in England and Wales. The new probation service will also deliver unpaid work and behavioural change programmes in England and Wales. Organisations from the… It is vital that the new probation model resolves some of the long standing issues with the Transforming Rehabilitation legacy writes Tom Keenan-Blair ...

The future of mental health care in prison

As many readers will know, poor mental health is exceptionally common in prison. 45% of adults in prison have anxiety or depression, 8% have a diagnosis of psychosis, and 60% have experienced a traumatic brain injury. Being imprisoned can exacerbate mental health difficulties, and there are too many avoidable remands… Work with offenders looks at an important new report from the Centre for Mental Health...

The family and criminal court system retraumatises victims

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, is calling for urgent long-term funding and more dedicated specialist court support after a new report “Understanding Court Support for Victims of Domestic Abuse” revealed that 89 per cent of domestic abuse survivors don’t get any support when they go through the family courts.… Work with offenders on a new report from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner...

Yet another new Titan prison

Just two weeks after announcing its plans to build a new prison in Chorley, the Ministry of Justice has today published a public consultation document for another super-sized prison, this time in Market Harborough. The choice of Market Harborough is straightforward, the idea is to build the new prison on… Work with offenders on more evidence that the government is serious about expanding the prison estate...

The reunification of the probation service: how it will work

This Saturday, 26 June 2021, the government’s experiment with probation privatisation, known as Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) will be officially over. The 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs), responsible for managing low and medium risk offenders for the last seven years, will cease trading and the public sector National Probation Service (NPS)… Work with Offenders reviews the structure of the new system for managing low and medium risk offenders which starts later this week ...

Understanding Indeterminate Sentences

On Friday Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) published a new guide for family members of people serving indeterminate prison sentences. Indeterminate prison sentences, mainly life sentences or sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPPs) are sentences where there is no definite release date. England and Wales has the… Work with offenders on a new guide for families of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences...

Another privatised prison failure

Last night Justice Secretary Robert Buckland announced that every child is being transferred from the privately-run Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre amid serious ongoing concerns about safety and performance. This is a drastic measure which is just the latest in a long line of problems at the STC. History Rainsbrook Secure… Work with offenders examines the decision to move all children out of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre...

Justice Secretary champions tailored prisoner education

The Justice Secretary Robert Buckland wrote an article in the Times newspaper today sharing his views on the need for tailored prisoner education for the many thousands of people in the criminal justice system with learning needs. The article, which the Ministry of Justice later published as a press release,… Work with offenders on a drive to break down the barriers for prisoners with learning needs...

New prison planned for Chorley

In following with its recent approach, the Government focuses on the economic benefits to the local area – jobs for building the prison and then employment for staffing it when complete, rather than the criminal justice rationale for building new prisons. The Chorley prison is part of the Government’s ‘New… The Ministry of Justice formally announced its plans to build a new prison in Chorley today when it published the public consultation notice – the deadline for responses is in 5 weeks (19 July 2021)....