Published 28th May 2014
35 Probation Trusts Close – New Organisations Are not Business Ready or Safe!
All 35 Probation Trusts across England and Wales close on 31st May to be replaced by the National Probation Service (NPS) and 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) on 1st June; but neither of the new organisations is business ready. Napo has been collating evidence over the last few weeks of the impact of Transforming Rehabilitation on staff welfare, service delivery and public risk, and it is clear that to close the Trusts on 31st May is simply dangerous.
Ursula Brennan, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, told the Public Accounts Committee that Transforming Rehabilitation and the closures of Trusts would only happen if it was “business ready” which was highlighted in the PAC report – “We therefore welcome the Ministry’s commitment to only proceed at each stage of the programme if it is satisfied it is safe to do so and that value for money will not be jeopardised.”
However, our information from probation staff across England and Wales indicates that it is not safe to proceed and does not represent value for money.
- From the 1st June NPS will be paying CRC staff to write pre-sentence reports on a sessional basis as they have too few staff to deliver services to the Courts.
- Excessively high caseloads exist in both NPS and CRC – some as high as 135% on the workload measurement tool.
- Due to cases being transferred in a short space of time, parole reports are being adjourned causing delays in hearings and costing the taxpayer more.
- Highly effective Integrated Offender Management teams are being disbanded despite showing results of reducing re-offending by up 50%.
- 135 cases have been allocated to a senior officer whilst he is on sick leave and is not due to return before his retirement.
- 40 domestic violence cases still being held by NPS as there are no staff to allocate them to in the CRC. Limited supervision is being done due to high risk caseloads taking priority.
- No protocols have been drawn up by the MoJ with regards to information sharing with other agencies such as Police and Children’s Services.
Personal Testaments from Staff
- “I think it's wrong staff feel manipulated/forced into doing overtime.”
- “All in all - utter chaos!!”
- “Staff are very angry that (cheaper) PQF (trainee officers) jobs are being advertised meaning that more experienced older (more expensive) POs feel even more de-valued as they are moved to the CRC where they are looking for opportunities to leave as the job is not the same (despite the hype and propaganda).”
- “We do not feel supported or have any clarification as to our role and to add insult to injury we are told as CRC we cannot prepare reports but have been asked if we want to do it on a flat rate basis as there are not enough report writers in the NPS.
- To say we are overwhelmed and frustrated is an understatement.”
- “…offender management is at breaking point because of these changes. I have lost count of the number of colleagues who have said they are feeling enormously stressed.”
Questions
- When will the MOJ publish its results from the “Test gates” to evidence that it is safe to continue with the Probation reforms?
- What criteria has the Secretary of State set to define “safe to continue” and “business ready”?
- The Permanent Secretary promised not to proceed to share sale until Test gate 4 had been completed. The MOJ has not yet designed Test gate 4 or given a date for it to start. Can the Secretary of State detail what tests will have to be met before he considers it safe to sell CRCs?
For details of concerns in your local area please contact Napo directly
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