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Napo HQ Blog
The Probation Inspectorate today published a damning report on the government’s TR programme saying: “The probation model delivered by Transforming Rehabilitation is irredeemably flawed. “
The report continues: “Above all, it has proved well-nigh impossible to reduce probation services to a set of contractual requirements. Professional probation work is so much more than simply a series of transactions, and when treated in that way it is distorted and diminished.”
Dame Glenys Stacey pulls no punches in the report, telling the Secretary of State that: “to implement government policy, capable probation leaders were required to deliver change they did not believe in, against the very ethos of the profession. On inspection, we now find probation supervision provided under contract to be sub-standard, and much of it demonstrably poor. Judicial confidence in community sentencing is now at serious risk”.
In an open letter to David Gauke, the Chief Inspector states: “You have taken the bold decision to terminate contracts early, with the intention of re-contracting on better terms, and aligning provider boundaries. While this would help, it would leave serious design flaws unaddressed. With contracts now likely to end in December 2020, there is an opportunity to redesign the service.”
Napo has called on the government to abandon its plans to remarket the service under the current model with General Secretary, Ian Lawrence saying: “This latest contribution by the chief inspector and her team is not only testimony to their excellent work, but it endorses the conclusions of two Parliamentary Committees and our expert practitioner members that the earlier ‘Transforming Rehabilitation’ reforms have been a complete disaster, and have failed to deliver what was promised.”
The HMIP report shows, among other findings, that:
- 80% of CRCs it inspected were rated as “inadequate” in terms of implementation and delivery of probation supervision;
- the forecast losses of CRCs as at March 2018 (if the contracts had continued as planned) were £294 million, compared with £269 million forecast profit at the bid stage;
- the reoffending rate for adults released from a custodial sentence of less than 12 months (January to March 2017 cohort) was 64%, compared to 28% for those serving longer sentences;
- the proportion of criminal justice third-sector voluntary organisations now working directly with CRCs was only 11%.
Commenting on the report, Napo General Secretary, Ian Lawrence said: “the chief inspector has highlighted the fact that not only have the CRCs delivered sub-standard services, but the NPS also has significant failings. Staff shortages and a reduction in professional standards have resulted in unmanageable workloads across the board. In London alone, staff vacancies are running at 20%, so it’s clear that the NPS is not sustainable in its current form.”
The MoJ plans to let 10 new contracts later this year which will see an increase in the size of the existing CRCs but a reduction in the number of private providers have attracted massive criticism from stakeholders across the justice system, who are also joining the call by Napo and Dame Glenys Stacey for ministers to halt the programme and consider an alternative model.
Napo’s campaign to reunite the Probation Service continues to receive validation. The collapse of Working Links and now Interserve would cause any sane government to doubt the wisdom of continuing to outsource probation services to private companies. Nearly all of the seven CRC owners have experienced severe problems making their contracts work and as a result have received bail out after bail out from the MoJ.
The publication of a damning report by HMPI, which follows the NAO report, earlier this month calling in to question the whole TR strategy, not only financially but also the practicality and wisdom of running a divided probation service lends even more wieght to our campaign.
Napo will be holding a drop in event in parliament on Wednesday 1st May where Napo Officers and Officials will be available to meet with MPs during the event and present them with our case for a reunified probation service under public ownership and control with a greater focus on local engagement.
Our reunite probation “8 Reasons Postcard” campaign was launched in January and members are urged to contact their constituency MP about the campaign, if they haven't already done so. Please write in your examples of the need for reunification.
Cards are available from your branch or from Napo Head Office - contact campaigns@napo.org.uk
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady and CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn have written a joint letter to the Prime Minister urging a change to her approach on Brexit. They have requested an urgent meeting to discuss their concerns.
The letter reads:
Together we represent millions of workers and tens of thousands of businesses. It is on their behalf that we are writing to you to ask you to change your Brexit approach.
Our country is facing a national emergency. Decisions of recent days have caused the risk of no deal to soar. Firms and communities across the UK are not ready for this outcome. The shock to our economy would be felt by generations to come.
We ask you to take three steps to protect the jobs, rights and livelihoods of ordinary working people.
First, avoiding no deal is paramount. Businesses and employees alike need to see their Government clearly acknowledge the reckless damage no deal would cause and recommit itself to avoiding this outcome.
Second, securing an extension has become essential. 88% of CBI members and a majority in Parliament agree this is better than no deal. But at the same time an extension must genuinely allow a way forwards, and be long enough for a deal to be agreed.
Third, ‘the current deal or no deal’ must not be the only choice. A Plan B must be found - one that protects workers, the economy and an open Irish border, commands a parliamentary majority, and is negotiable with the EU. A new approach is needed to secure this – whether through indicative votes or another mechanism for compromise.
We cannot overstate the gravity of this crisis for firms and working people. We request an urgent meeting with you to discuss our concerns and hear your response.
Your sincerely,
Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary
Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director General
The Joint Union in Prison Alliance is surveying staff in the prisons in England and Wales to find out about their recent experiences of working in the prison environment.
Napo has been part of this trade union alliance since it was set up last summer. It is formed of nine unions, all of whom have members working in prisons. This is the first time these unions have come together in this way - and this came about as a result of the real and significant concerns we have as to the safety of our members working in prisons.
We intend to use the result of the survey to present to the MoJ, for a Parliamentary briefing and for other campaigning and media work.
Please complete the survey by close of play on Wednesday 27 March. The survey is not restricted to union members only. So if you work with colleagues who are not union members please encourage them to complete also (and maybe also encourage them to join Napo too!).
Complete the survey here https://yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/Joint-Unions-in-Prisons-2019
Napo General Secretary today issued members working in KSS CRC a useful update on pay negotiations and staff working in Wales.
Click here to read the update and here the accompanying joint TU letter to KSS CRC.
The growing use of technology to supervise individuals on probation offers no conclusive benefits, according to new research published by HM Inspectorate of Probation. The research did not find evidence to suggest remote supervision leads to better outcomes.
More than 250,000 people are under probation supervision across England and Wales. Typically, probation officers supervise individuals through regular face-to-face meetings. Some Community Rehabilitation Companies – who are responsible for supervising low and medium-risk offenders – have turned to technology instead.
Some individuals are limited to telephone contact only and call their probation officer every six weeks or so. Others use electronic kiosks to check in at an office and do not see a probation officer during their visit.
Chief Inspector of Probation Dame Glenys Stacey said: “We have long expressed concerns about telephone-only contact. This research shows there is a lack of high-quality evidence to prove remote supervision helps to rehabilitate individuals or improve public protection.
“Despite strong evidence showing the critical role of the relationship between the individual and the probation officer, it is not protected within the current model of probation service delivery. CRCs have been able to implement operating models that allow telephone-only contact with up to 40 per cent of individuals under supervision.
“In October, HM Prison and Probation Service introduced a new contractual requirement so CRCs have to offer face-to-face meetings at least once a month. While welcome, this change does not guarantee an effective relationship or ensure that risks to the public are adequately considered. The evidence base shows that successful probation delivery is linked to the quality of the relationship, and the frequency of meeting depends on the work that needs to be done.
“We take the simple view that you need to see people in order to support them to change their lives. It is difficult for a probation officer to build a trusting and challenging relationship with an individual under supervision if they only communicate by telephone.”
The research, which was conducted by academics at Manchester Metropolitan University, looked at more than 22,000 research articles published since 2007.
Dame Glenys said: “We are not against the use of technology in probation delivery. However, it should complement face-to-face meetings, rather than be a substitute for it. For example, a probation officer might find it helpful to have a catch-up telephone call with an individual between meetings or to check how a course is going.
“Contact solely by telephone or other forms of technology does not offer anywhere near the level of supervision that we want to see.”
There were some good interventions on the state of Probation by MPs in Justice Questions in Parliament yesterday.
Ellie Reeves (Labour Lewisham West) asked: " The recently published National Audit Office report on probation services highlighted not only the staggering additional costs of privatisation but the fact that CRCs are failing to provide even the most basic rehabilitation services. With nearly £0.5 billion-worth of bail-outs and only six out of 21 CRCs achieving significant reductions in reoffending, is it not now time to put probation back where it belongs, under public ownership and control?" READ IN FULL
Richard Burgon (Labour Leeds) on Failing Grayling: " efore wreaking havoc in the Department for Transport, the Secretary of State for Transport was busy wreaking havoc in our justice system. He unleashed a crisis in our prisons and then he privatised probation, leaving the public less safe and costing the public hundreds of millions more than necessary. The world’s media are treating the Transport Secretary as a laughing stock, but the joke is on us because this Government are set to repeat past errors by signing a new round of private probation contracts. When will the Justice Secretary do the decent thing and put an end to the failed experiment of a privatised probation system? " READ IN FULL
Ian Lucas (Labour Wrexham): " What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of probation reforms since 2015." READ IN FULL
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): "Both the prisons Minister and the Secretary of State have heaped praise on the Durham Tees Valley community rehabilitation company when I have asked about the not-for-profit organisation’s future, but will the Minister tell me whether it will survive the next round of reforms or be swallowed up and privatised with the rest of them?" READ IN FULL
The TUC confirmed this week that General Secretary Frances O’Grady will speak at the Stand Up to Racism march and rally in London on Saturday 16 March 2019.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of London, Cardiff and Glasgow to join the Stand Up to Racism marches, which will all assemble at 12noon.
The UK marches are part of an unprecedented partnering of anti-racist and anti-fascist campaigners for demonstrations in at last 22 countries and 60 cities around the world under the banner #WorldAgainstRacism.
The UK marches will bring together people united in opposition to the threat of the far-right in the UK. And they will show solidarity with people organising against the spread of the far-right globally, including racist leaders such as Donald Trump, Victor Orban and Jair Bolsonaro.
The TUC is encouraging trade union members to take part in the UK marches and to bring their friends.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“The far-right are a growing menace in Britain today.
“Bolstered by a global network they are taking their hate-filled messages on to our streets and into our communities.
“As trade unionists we'll continue to stand up to the forces of hatred and division, and to promote our values of tolerance and diversity.
“Please join the marches in London, Glasgow and Cardiff this weekend. Together we can show that racism and fascism have no place in our society.”
Napo put out a press release today calling on Ministers to abandon their plans to remarket rehabilitation services following the failures of the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs). This was in advance of In advance of the Public Accounts Committee session on 13 March. Napo General Secretary Ian Lawrence said: “The recent report by the National Audit Office not only confirms Napo’s warnings to Ministers that the earlier ‘Transforming Rehabilitation’ reforms would not work and represented poor value for money to the taxpayer, but also clearly states that Ministers should pause and reflect on their plan to simply re-let probation services into 10 new package areas.” Read more