ill McWilliams, the late it, restructuring and right sizing to develop 18 evidence based historian of the Probation exercises due in part to reduced programmes which cover a broad B Service, writing at the cash limits and governmental range of specific offending beginning of this decade, reviewed responses to trends in the private behaviour including substance the main strands in probation sector. misuse, domestic violence, thinking over the past century, motoring, sex offenders, racially from special pleading, through Joined-up thinking motivated behaviour, women diagnosis to managerial offenders, violence against the With the publication in 1998 of the pragmatism. 'This was person and general offending. The Government's 'Joining Forces to operationalised in court as core curriculum targets for protect the public' document and respectively, a place for mercy, a accredited programmes involve the recent issuing of a Correctional diagnosis and associated treatment taking through 10,000 offenders by Policy Framework in the context plan, and finally, the specification 2001/2 and 60,000 by 2003/4. All of a seamless approach to Service of a realistic disposal within the this is set against the goal of delivery by the Prison and overarching policy of reducing reducing reoffending rates by 5% Probation Services, a new agenda custody.' by 2003. is set for the next decade. What (McWilliams, and Pease K. are the essential priorities of this Effectiveness is clearly related 1990) approach? , the to proper enforcement procedures. Probation/Prisons Minister of State If community sentences are to have at the at a recent credibility with the courts and the Conference for a probation public, they need assurance that The Probation audience, summed it up succinctly: measures are enforced. The probation service has been criticised by the , "We are a law enforcement agency, following inspections and audits, it is what we are, it is what we do". Service in the for inconsistent breach practice. As part of the drive for improvement, He was perhaps reflecting on item new National Standards will take 4 of the Correctional Policy effect on 1st April 2000. One of Framework, that the Probation 21 st Century the standards will be tightened, Service should principally requiring probation officers to contribute to the 'effective warn offenders under supervision execution of the sentences of the on the first unacceptable absence courts so as to reduce re-offending John Harding assesses the strengths and return them to court on second and protect the public". How is this breach. The upshot of this to be achieved? and weaknesses of the modernising approach is likely to see breach programme for the Probation rates of 25 to 30% in relation to The modernisation community penalties managed by Service. programme the Service. In the nineties, despite its so called The Home Office modernisation The third element of 'centre stage' position as managing programme for the Probation modernisation and the centre piece 'punishment in the community' as Service consists of three elements: of the Probation Bill in the 1999 part of the 1991 Criminal Justice a nation-wide commitment to the Queen's Speech will involve a Act, probation lost ground as we development of 'What Works' major restructuring of the Service moved towards a position of penal evidence based programmes that with the appointment of a National authoritarianism (Prison Works) actually reduce offending Probation Director, centrally with an ever widening range of behaviour, a revision of National driven policies and objectives and criminal sanctions and an Standards and improved the reduction in the number of uncontrolled drift towards the enforcement rates in relation to probation areas from 54 to 42, thus expanded use of prison. There was breaches of community penalty making all services co-terminus less emphasis on rehabilitation and requirements and, finally, with the newly aligned Police, an increased focus on management infrastructure changes in the Crown Prosecution and efficiency, risk management of Service that enable the necessary Magistrates' Courts Services. offenders, control and surveillance improvements to take place. Closer regional arrangements with etc. The lot of the probation officer The 'What Works' principles the Prison Service are likely to has felt burdensome, too, with are based on offending behaviour follow although the functional additional workloads, new practice programmes involving planned nature of the prison estate will responsibilities, the disappearance interventions over a specific time mean that differentiated regimes of probation training as we knew period which can be shown to cannot all be contained in any one change the behaviour, attitudes and region. "The lot of the probation officer has felt social circumstances of offenders. Underpinning the effectiveness Repositioning burdensome, too, with additional drive, the prison and probation probation: some workloads, new practice responsibilities, services are currently piloting a common offender assessment thoughts the disappearance of probation training system, known as OASys which The repositioning of the Probation as we knew it, restructuring and right will be rolled out nationally from Service may also involve a change August 2000. Plans are in progress sizing exercises. of name. Despite the reluctance

Cjm no. 38 Winter 1999/2000 27 "The thrust of 'Joining Forces' is unbalanced displaying a flawed understanding of probation's traditions, values and strengths." of most probation staff to planning arrangements which are 'rebadge', (probation is, after all, enshrined in the Crime and a recognised worldwide concept Disorder Act 1998. The effective for intermediate court sanctions), practice dimension, important how does it square with the public through it is, remains a limited protection requirement? Other title response if it is not complemented contenders include the words by the Probation Service of the Public Protection, Community future, acting in concert with its Justice, Offender Enforcement, community based partners, the Community Corrections etc. police, local authorities and the By way of a critique, few independent sector to address the would dispute the rationale for the social factors most associated with Home Office document 'Joining crime, in particular, lack of work, Forces' to 'Protect the Public'. homelessness and drug and alcohol There is a clear logic for greater misuse. co-terminosity between the key The 'Joining Forces' document criminal justice agencies and the could have equally included a need for shared strategic thinking police dimension in recognising and operational planning across the strength of current mutual regional and area boundaries. concerns with probation at the None of us, too, would argue with local level. Within such an a proposition that probation, like alliance, a vast number of the prison service, should embrace interventions are possible. These the need for evidence based include crime prevention practice as part of the recently initiatives that address the risk announced crime reduction factors on troubled estates, conflict programme. But the thrust of resolution processes that are 'Joining Forces' is unbalanced applicable to neighbourhoods, displaying a flawed understanding schools or adjudicated young of probation's traditions, values offenders, community problem Home Office (1999) 'The and strengths as a series of locally solving meetings, the use of Correctional Policy Framework', based services at the hub of advocates to mentor those at risk, criminal justice with its point of and enforcement procedures with Boateng, P (1999), Speech for the reference focusing outwards vulnerable offenders that 1999 Chairs and Chiefs of towards a complex web of demonstrate a tangible partnership connections with local between the police and probation Probation Conference, October 7th communities, local authorities and in high crime communities. 1999, London the independent sector. We are, as Paul Boateng Whilst not denying the shared suggests, 'a law enforcement concern with the Prison Service for agency' but one whose conceptual protecting the public from future roots lie in community justice. A harm through rigorous and multi-dimensional focus is an credible forms of supervision, essential determinant of the future probation stands apart from the as we strive to maintain public beliefs that support imprisonment. confidence in our work. "The most significant development of the last That view is reinforced by the decade has been the proposal and nature of prison as a place of exile, implementation of Youth Offending Teams exclusion and pain with all the John Harding is Chief Probation attendant difficulties of resettling Officer of the Inner London incorporating a multi-agency approach to youth men and women who all too often Probation Service offending. have severed links with families and little initial prospect, through sheer weight of numbers of, References: The most significant development of the next initially, finding acceptable McWilliams, W. and Pease, K. decade is likely to be the realisation of this accommodation and meaningful (1990) 'Probation practice and an employment. end to punishment, Howard approach as an effective means of intervention The Probation Service is more Journal, Vol 19 pp 129-147 with young offenders and their families." at ease in understanding the Home Office (1998) 'Joining community context in which crime Forces to Protect the Public - takes place, of playing a central Prison-Probation'. Aconsultation Angela Slaven, Chief Executive, Divert part in the community safety document. Home Office. London.

28 CJm no. 38 Winter 1999/2000