Sunday 9 November 2014

TR Week Twenty Three

Bizarre isn't it? Back then we had caseloads of 50+, wrote 5-6 reports a month and were involved with partnerships, liaison roles with community organisations. We got to together and developed group work, spent time at Court, had time to attend lots of training and more and yes we were in contact with people serving under 12 months imprisonment. Now in a supposedly more efficient world, we can barely manage basic tasks.

******

Come to our office in Manchester to see how things are not working, yes we have been working hard but nothing is working right. Its utter chaos and MoJ refuse to acknowledge it. Its been hell and the duty of care to staff does not exist.

******

Our CEO sent an email yesterday stating that he would not support any applications for secondment away from the CRC as we don't have enough staff. Yet more of the lies spun by Failing and his crew.

******
The irony is that the new companies will look to maximise profits through, amongst other areas, staff cuts. Seems like current CRC chiefs need to give the illusion that they are passing on a going concern. After all this is what MoJ will have briefed the incumbent firms.

******

I'm wondering what Grayling will be telling all the preferred bidders that's ringing him up today asking whats going on, because he's obviously assured them that JR could never happen.

******

Grayling is sooo predictable - was driving back from prison visit today to hear on BBC radio that re-offending rate for sex offender "supervised in the community" had gone up. Really? How little they understand probation and sex offenders because the stats include a significant number of Registration and SOPO breaches which can be strongly argued to have PREVENTED future victims by successful monitoring....

******

The reason managers in the north have not spoken out is because they have been SILENCED. In one large area of the North managers had to sign a written agreement not to talk negatively about TR or face disciplinary/dismissal. Wouldn't want to damage the excellent reputation of Northumbria being damaged...oops. The senior management team hate this blog.

******

One of the strengths of this blog is the anonymity it affords user. Despite this tag there is only incidental trolling, as overwhelmingly the contributions are grounded in experience of probation work. So, it is good to know that it is not appreciated by those in positions of senior management; good to know that they cannot control and manipulate the information flow. And this reduces their power and exposes them to having their corporate flaws and operational deficiencies exposed. 

The good thing about social media is that voices normally unheard can start to count and when there are enough such voices can achieve critical mass to make things happen that otherwise would not have happened. It means the Kevin's of this world have to watch their backs, because the dirty washing will be hung out to dry – in public.


******

I've never heard mine speak ill of TR either (I'm talking SPO grade NorthWest region) I've often found it strange as both SPOs CRC and NPS are quite straight-forward talking people. Obviously they've been silenced to create an illusion and sadly some if not many of their little sheep have followed them. 

I have heard things going on the office that are dangerous and I've wondered why the incidents have not ended up on this blog. Therein lies another problem for Sodexo/Purple Futures, this blog is not the whole neatly-packaged story of what's happening on the ground and all I can say is that I hope you like surprises because you'll be getting lots of nasty ones when you start digging during due diligence. Welcome to Probation aka the Viper Nest. Enjoy your day!!

******

Bristol struggling to get people on TVSOP. Not enough TVSOP tutors to run programmes and some having to travel to Gloucester to do TVSOP (who I've been told are also struggling to run the programme). Unless more tutors found/trained, then the chances are some men won't complete the programme - lets not forget how long this programme is - 70 sesssons. The ridiculous thing is that we managed before but trained tutors sifted into CRC!!!

******

At least 3 OMs from the former ASPT are being trained in SOTP to run it on top of day jobs and at considerable expense, while experienced SOTP facilitators sit frustrated on the sidelines until CRC decides to get rid. NPS has at least one PSO it will call on for SOTP delivery. Glos have just one facilitator. Wilts are as bad off. Glos participants will have to travel to Bristol and vice versa.

******

Am very confused about grade of SOTP tutors: in my area all are PO grade (Band 4) and "sorted" into NPS. West Yorks recently advertised for Band 3 (PSO) Grade SOTP tutors - how can this be right? Two different grades delivering the same role???

******

I had a different role from PSO colleagues when I ran TVSOP as well as the other programmes. Then I was sifted to CRC and now I do the same as PSO grades, so I'm screwed. There are some band 4 roles that don't demand a PO qualification and this is how some POSs can get SOTP trained. By and large, SOTP is, and should remain, a band 4 responsibility.

******

It would be helpful if you could give a rough idea of the distance between offices and also indicate if any travel expenses are given to offenders? In my area the main complaint is the time that is taken up travelling rather than the cost. It would be interesting if breaches for these accredited programmes were monitored to see how cost and distance are fast becoming barriers to compliance. Sometimes I feel that whilst probation trusts have had to spread themselves much more thinly they have, in the process, set some offenders up to fail.

******

Wow, this is worrying. I used to work delivering SOTP and I know how my practice developed after delivering several groups. Of course there will always need to be new facilitators, but this was normally working alongside experienced facilitators. Without being disrespectful to the POs, the first few programmes they deliver will not be as effective in creating the dissonance with the men as it will later in their programme career (even if they have experience on other programmes).

******

Merseyside no longer pay travel expenses regardless of distance or frequency of attendance, and bus fares are set at a standard rate of £2.20 whether your travelling one stop or terminus to terminus. It's a big issue.

******

I work in Merseyside and our office gives £2 contribution in bus tokens - that's if they live more than 2 miles away from the office. Like you said it's £2.20 one way but if you get an Arriva dayrider it is a flat £4 and you can use the bus as many times you want on that day.

******

The probation office I work in is in a borough that is 60 square miles. Unfortunately, the office is not located neatly in the middle, but more towards the outer end meaning a home visit can take up the best part of half a day and be a 50 mile round trip - can anyone tell me where I am to find the time to do these when I have a caseload of 80+ ?

******

Perhaps NAPO should seek 'critically endangered' status for the species of the 'tireless probation officer' as we will soon be extinct. I will be awaiting the VR offer and will join the ever decreasing numbers of the species. After the dust has long settled there will no doubt be an urge to protect and reintroduce the species as governments are excellent in reinventing the wheel over and over again and spinning it along!! Good Luck to all my colleagues, and to everyone currently embroiled in this mess... take care of yourselves.

*******

Duplicated offender files are created when an operator fails to find the offender on nDelius or eoasys based on the details they have been given and wrongly create a new offender record to hold details of their current offence(s). The reasons for not finding an offender are many and various but the point is that every time it happens somebody has to try and make a judgement about the risks an individual poses based on a fraction of the information that should be available to them. 

Even worse is the fact that in most duplicate cases the information they have about the offender’s history will be solely derived from what that offender chooses to reveal – told from their own perspective – instead of from the hard evidence of the court records and CPS files. There are thousands of Duplicate Offender Files – and that is just the ones we know about


Is it worth an FOI to the MOJ asking how many Duplicated Records have been flagged before merger as this will give an indication of how often officers are having to make decisions about risks based on partial or incomplete information? 

******

Our CEO sent an email yesterday stating that he would not support any applications for secondment away from the CRC as we don't have enough staff. Yet more of the lies spun by Failing and his crew.

******

The irony is that the new companies will look to maximise profits through, amongst other areas, staff cuts. Seems like current CRC chiefs need to give the illusion that they are passing on a going concern. After all, this is what MoJ will have briefed the incumbent firms.

******

The leadership of the Inspectorate is in sympathetic TR hands - ideologically in tune with agenda which has a political consensus. There will be need for retuning, etc, but nothing that rocks the cradle. All hopes pinned on JR - but that has yet to pass its first hurdle. Wages are going to plummet. The talented will either leave or not join. There will be more zero-hours contracts, high staff turnover, while those up the hierarchy will be amply rewarded.

******

PO’s working in NPS are under extreme pressure with caseloads in their 60’s – take Greater Manchester for example. A very dangerous number when you think they are all high risk cases. Now if you measure this against other areas who have 30. There is clearly something drastically wrong.

******

We had a young woman who worked for 2 months as a PSO in our CRC team before starting the one year PO training at NPS on the back of a degree in Criminology. She has now been at NPS for 3 weeks and when she is Duty Officer, she has to decide whether to accept our Risk Escalation requests or not.

******

In North West the Risk Escalation is delegated to a Risk and Audit team - more likely to achieve consistent decisions. This situation looks like both misuse of Duty system and role of PSO/PQF staff. Talk about being dropped in it!

******

Just heard a prison officer saying the staff all got letters asking them if they would take a five grand pay cut. Said no thanks but knows jobs are at risk. This was not in a privately run jail either, but HMP Leeds. 

******

I'm happy to resign my ACO position if someone pays my mortgage and feeds my children. No sign here of any hush money just the dismantling of a job I love and being disrespected by people who don't know me. At the end of the day we all just comply with the requirements of our job. If I could make it all go away I would. I can't. I wish you well in your fight. I hope you win.

******

Ah the old I was just following orders line.

******

It is a fact we are all wage slaves! I am doing a job that I am not happy about but cannot get out of it without leaving. I would rather fight from within than lose my livelihood. Sorry if that is offensive.

******

No one is offering the Nuremberg defence. It's true people need jobs and livelihoods and it's unfair to suggest otherwise. Being part of the struggle against TR is more important than pay grades. The senior managers we should save our contempt for are those who achieved high position in public probation and then prostituted themselves to the private sector.

******

I don't blame our ACO/CEO whatever for the split but this particular chief has fiddled whilst our Rome burns and you gotta take the rough with the smooth. Any attempt to stop staff sickness levels rising and expecting the penny with the bun from her workforce by threatening middle managers with their jobs, does not command respect. 

Luckily in our area we are taking a collective stance and have passed a vote of no confidence on our chief in the hope she will pass this up mainly and get something done. Chiefs could have been a lot cleverer about reducing stress levels in the first place. They are paying a fortune out to staff on long term sickness and had they acted with compassion and understanding those staff would be still at their desks. 


The idiocy and inadequacy of our seniors has been frankly staggering so let's not dress it up and pretend it's acceptable eh? I urge all frontline staff to collectively apply the pressure upwards as they have been applying downwards. They can't sack us as they need us!! Viva la revolution.


******

Our SPO has put a bright and breezy spin on TR and lulled many of the team into a false sense of security. We don't think she's been as open about things as she could have been. There have been lots of meetings but we never get to hear about any of what has/is going on. Many of us feel left in the dark. Much of our information is gained from reading Twitter and this blog.

******

I know the 'bright and breezy' SPOs. In my experience they are breezy but not bright in the commonly understood sense of the word. But then the probation service dumbed down in what it sought from middle managers - and managers in general. Some clever ones made it through, but on the whole those who would do anything for a bit of status were the trusted ones. 

At one time managers were a diverse bunch - independent and quirky - just like real people. And then we ended up with Red Guards, amongst the management and the rank and file. A sad cultural shift. And then clients got the corporate response mostly. And real probation work had to go underground. I don't like TR but I did not like the lean and mean probation trusts either, because they put targets before people and did not give a damn about individuals. Some probation officers are courageous, but the probation service is so often spineless and so damn defensive.


******

Wow glad to see your diversity training worked.

******

I truly hope there's good news, I can't take anymore of this bollocks, I am already bruised and battered from last years shafting. Any more and I will be off the edge. Please let it be good news.

******

Just read it. First, glaring anomaly is that the proposal is aimed at "non violent offenders". If this paper has in any way informed the TR agenda then of course no-one convicted of a violent offence is being allocated to the CRCs, are they?

******

For the first time in as long as I can remember I took 'toil' today. It felt good. I look forward to each and every one from now on. From this point on, no more unpaid work, extra hours, working through lunch or not having a break. Every single minute I am paid for I will work; every minute not...well, you get the drift. I actually feel very good about myself which is quite a departure from how I normally feel when I arrive home each night.

******

Anyone else know about what seems to be a blatant lie told by civil service website about staff being sifted into NPS on the basis of merit? I'm lowly CRC but overheard a conversation yesterday when two NPS colleagues were talking. I know my place so only speak when spoken to these days. Just wondered if it were true?

******

No, it was not done on merit. It was done on a random basis. 7 one way, 3 the other. It needed to be quick and establishing who was the best would have resulted in delays. It was a dirty trick perpetrated without concern for those effected. A betrayal, nothing less.

******

Yep, one day of how many Mappa cases. A section of teams in a midlands area got pre warned so could adjust their figures and make sure their Mappas were registered. Such a scam.

******

Can you say more? I was moved to an automatically assigned CRC post days before 11th November by the then SMT. I always suspected I had been deliberately stitched up.

******

I am certain that the sift was utter bollocks, despite various random claims it was carefully planned. My question was intended to be "is it true that the civil service website refers to the sifting process having been meritorious?" And to avoid any further doubt or confusion I have to say my NPS colleagues were clearly unhappy about the situation. So I wanted to check if anyone else had read the comment. 

******

No one was picked on merit. All that stuff about "the most experience" was bullshit. If it was true, how come NPS jobs are just given out willy nilly to agency workers and newly qualified officer who have no experience of managing high risk cases? All that talk was demoralising and nonsense. Furthermore, some people were automatically assigned to NPS, like those who worked in courts and hostels. What merit did they require? Then there was talk of names out of a hat. Again no merit required.

******

A new topic, but one for the elders or those fleeing the chaos. Anyone tried to get a pension out of Manchester Fund? You may be in for a surprise. They send emails out about dealing with the volume of enquiries etc & that is that. My request of late September still not replied to and a colleague feeling she is likely to retire shortly with no income. Get a projection? Forget it!! Same 'volume of enquiry' emails from shared services HR. This is now quite sickening & speaks volumes for this shattered service that once was functional.

******

I should however make you aware that they are currently managing a higher than usual volume of queries and as such are working through all queries in date order and will provide you with an update as soon as possible.

******

Would this be acceptable to write as a PO? 'I should however make you aware that I am currently managing a higher than usual volume of reports and as such I am working through all requests in date order and will provide you with a report as soon as possible.' So why are Probation Officers and other employees being given this gobbly gook by MoJ Shared Services???

******

The AP manager in my area has been trying to put me on the relief duty rota since July and, despite his sending my forms to Shared Services, they had never heard of me or had any record of my NI number when I chased it up. I was airbrushed out of existence after I left. I was then told that I have to go for vetting in HMP Eastwood Park. I never heard anything again until I chased it up and now I apparently have to go for vetting in HMP Bristol. I still have not received any further forms I have to fill in, apparently, and have lost all hope of ever getting any work, despite the manager desperately needing staff.

*******

2 Merseyside POs leaving - 1 CRC and 1 NPS plus 1 CRC PO gone off on long term sick leave. Lots of cases to reallocate (110 in CRC) giving managers a real headache. Christmas is also coming and so offices are going to be on skeleton staff again leaving officers frazzled. 


*******
All the managers in Manchester need sacking. They have purposely led sheep to the slaughter. They have lied to staff and given false hope. They have not been upfront and honest from day one. I’m in CRC and have been advised in the strongest language in recent blog (after the preferred bidders announced) that any communication in the media will result in disciplinary proceedings. What kind of fairness is that? You shaft us, take the piss, give us a load of bullshit crap and then say well don’t tell anyone it’s a fucking nightmare. They all need sacking.

******
I am in the CRC in Manchester it has been appalling and I totally agree we have been sold down the river. Utter bullshit.

84 comments:

  1. Morning Jim. It's a testament to your diligence and hard work that whenever I don't see a new post at 9:00 every day, I start getting a little worried that you've been found out and hauled before the beak! Followed by a corresponding relief when more words of wisdom do appear. I think I may be developing a case of blog addiction...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely have blog addiction. If it wasn't for Jim and all other contributors I would have thrown it all in long ago. Jim you have saved my sanity...like others have said..I cannot thank you enough.

      Delete
  2. Morning! It was a very long day yesterday - got to the Tower by 8am and a lie in this morning...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Due diligence expires on Tues, still time then for bidders to walk away. I'm keeping everything crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Data cleansing of NPS documents by 12 Nov in our CRC

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good morning Jim. I have never posted anything in my life or used Twitter, texted, been on Facebook or indeed any form of social media. But now I am in my 60's & with over 30 years of practice I am beginning to feel I should say something; perhaps we that are older can afford to be the most radical as perhaps we have less to lose? I would therefore like to salute you for your sterling efforts & to recall, without being too morbid, the words of Dylan Thomas:

    "Do not go gentle into that good night,
    Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

    Is there anyone else out there of an older vintage who feels the same? We should not just retire and walk away but fight TR and the 'dying of the light' in Probation with patience, determination and precision?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In our office the resistance is being run by the older hands on behalf of those with 30 years to go-it was the old stagers that stood on the picket lines and the old stagers that challenge the nonsense of the dictats that are eminating from Gestapo HQ.....like every good resistance movement slow to start but difficult to stop.....

      Delete
    2. One thing this blog has done for me is highlight that, as a 30+ years in, I am not so alone as I had come to feel. Perhaps we ought to get together somehow ?.

      Delete
    3. I too am in my 60's, with a history of working with disadvantaged young people, and qualifying as a PO at the age of 48 and unwillingly having to retire 2 and a half years ago. The passion for the job, and the anger at the lies, deceit and injustices now being imposed upon it, and the impact on staff and clients, riles me more than ever. Age does not affect your emotions (other than through certain conditions) and indeed sometimes enables you to stand back and reflect and take stock. I have been told, from hospital tests, that I have a 'young brain' but am unsure how that conclusion was arrived at! Like you, (anon 1020) until now I have never used any social media other than 'email' and this last month has seen me use a blog for the first time. But I will continue to 'use it or lose it' and be a part of the backroom staff supporting those who are suffering on the front line. It is empowering and hopefully keeping the brain young, and might just help to do good. Keep on burning, raving and raging - 'cos we can!

      Delete
    4. Speaking as another old stager: I think those of us who have been in teh biz for thirty odd years get a real visceral sense of how distinguished the history of probation is, how great the threat, and how deep the damage being done

      Delete
    5. What really concerns me is the amount of experience..the skills underpinning genuinely effective practice, the knowledge of law, objectivity..anti discriminatory practice..innovation arising from concern to improve....so much had already disappeared..those in training cannot train / pass on what they don't know / or have no interest in finding out.

      Delete
    6. Anon 10:20 Or indeed any other experienced 'old hand' - I'm always keen to encourage a guest blog piece if any of you can be persuaded. My e-mail address is on the profile page and publication can be anonymous.

      Thanks,

      Jim

      Delete
  6. I have been in the service for 30 years not quite into my 60's only just into the 50's, but I fight on a daily basis I let everyone in the office know exactly what I think and that I will never accept TR. I contribute to this blog on a daily basis and I continue to "rage against the dying light", and carry on fighting, and when its time to retire we can walk away knowing that we gave it our best shot.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Luckily in our area we are taking a collective stance and have passed a vote of no confidence on our chief in the hope she will pass this up mainly and get something done".

    How do we go about this? I think a lot of those in senior positions would pull their socks up if they thought this could happen to them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Relatively simple. We compiled a letter to her and all signed it telling her she as not doing anything that we could see to ease staff stress. Asked her to give clear guidance at how to do our work and what to cut corners with as all on 200 per cent mark or roundabout. Itemised a number of suggestions to her to ease the pressures and asked why has she not thought of any of them thus far. Overtime for one. and basically threatened a collective grievance. She swept into action with a number of tokenistic gestures after the union went to see her but the view was, too little to late. Collective grievance next up followed up by individuals all e-mailing managers with much the same. Also look up the term vocarious liability as well.We found this useful. They cannot go on threatening you with SFO what if's as they are as responsible if not more so if one occurrs.

      Delete
    2. This has been rumbling around our office for some time too and something needs to happen..planning to take legal advice re the failure to fulfill the duty of care which, from just a brief conversation, has evidently been neglected on several fronts.

      Delete
    3. Has anyone thought of reporting this to the Health and Safety Executive? That would really cause huge problems for the employer. So, I suggest having done your letter to your Chief Exec you write again and say nothing has changed and all of the same signatories then write to the HSE expressing concern about stress levels. I know they got involved with one organisation to great effect ( believe it was a NHS trust but not certain). Please check out their website, you will see probation work now hits all of the stress factors.Good Luck!

      Delete
    4. This website may be very interesting to anyone who has concerns similar to those expressed above.

      http://www.pcaw.org.uk/

      Delete
    5. Good find annon13:54.
      Heres a video on youtube explaining things a little more in laymans terms.

      http://youtu.be/CWkr1t5r508

      Delete
    6. A very sensible approach and one I can see a lot of officers utilising. How helpful were/are your local Union reps during this?

      Also, can you keep us updated as to any outcome as it might be of some use?

      Delete
    7. Yes of course, I will keep you posted. Interesting our ACO has now offerred us stress management interviews. What is the point if they won't or can't do anything about it. Back covering exercise and yet another token. She has said can revert toil as a one off to overtime so at least we get paid for any extra hours but this does not ease things for the future.Good luck to all colleagues. Collective seems to work better so up and at em. At the end of the day, not gonna sack you, they need you, now more than ever!!

      Delete
    8. Union reps pretty good actually. I urge everyone to do the same as us. It has them on their uppers believe me!!

      Delete
  8. I am about to join in the minute's silence on BBC for those who died for this country. I had a few tears last night when I watched 'Failing Grayling' on You Tube, directed by Ian Lawrence's blog yday. Brilliantly inspirational, and amusing too,We can do it if we use the same resilience that our forefathers have used before us. Be inspired and fight the good fight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GOOD - Go to it colleagues,

      I am sixty-five & have been retired eleven years, after working thirty in three different areas, and as addicted to getting TR reversed as I was to get good outcomes for clients - but sadly I never managed balance over the long term so I get good outcomes for myself ( a consequence of addiction)

      I have nothing professional or financial to lose, that I have not already lost, so anonymity is unnecessary for me now.

      I look for every weakness in their arguments and do my best to expose it from my keyboard, making myself unpopular with other campaigners at times - so be it.

      I truly believe the roots of TR stretch back to mid eighties when Government(s) began taking ever more central control of probation and much of what has been a long term project of some behind the Thatcher led (to some extent she was a puppet perhaps a bit less than Blair who more came from the hidden controllers class) revolution. I mean such as the poll tax and turning the populace to be ever more consumers than a political community with a shared mutual interest in all doing well so that the weak do not drag the strong down and all get fair treatment.

      A former MP of mine was John Wakeham - a Thatcher back room fixer who has been quiet since he was found to be on the Enron Board when their chickens got counted! One of his staff once told a client of mine - he had been effective in sorting out a problem for a prisoner because he was so well connected to the then Home Secretary (I kid you not!) - the sad thing is it was probably true - I always encouraged disgruntled clients to contact MPs.

      Back in the the 1940s & 50s Tom Driberg was the local (Labour) MP [look him up]. Dodgyness & worse at the heart of UK governance goes back a long way, it is little wonder getting an inquiry into secrets of paedophilia at a national level is such a pantomime right now. I suspect some of these things are linked if not directly dependent on one another. The most outrageous thing I ever experienced in my career was a man who definitely was a driver for more than sixty major armed bank robberies only ever being charged for one and whilst he was serving time for that, he was for a few months in 'police custody' with his wife visiting daily & I am almost certain intimately. The last I heard of him many years ago was that he absconded - I think from ROTL!

      There really is some sort of "inner wheel of justice" in the UK & parts of the Metropolitan Police are involved - or have been and probably the Security Services as well, but I do not know enough to join any dots up.

      Meanwhile probation and the Justice system rolls along, and most concerned try to make it legal, decent and honest. What seems to be happening is that - as we approach an anniversary of Magna Carta the 'rights' of the governed are being ever more squeezed back (again) bit by bit - with us all joining in with the script written for us & fighting back a tear on cue when the poppies are displayed or '"the Olympics" competed for or we sign up to their latest commercial nonsense be it Halloween or grandparents day.

      This is rather convoluted - I do not believe their is a grand unified plot against the 'little people' whose compliance and taxes are needed but we do not have democracy & selling much of the CJS off is part of a grander scheme than just getting good outcomes for all at a fair price.

      Meanwhile: -

      Just Culture - Speak out to protect us all

      I nearly missed this: -

      Makes sense to me - a good listen. - just 30 minutes

      Explains how things that shouldn't go wrong organisationally do and suggests alternatives using aviation industry as an example.

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n31d2

      I also posted a link on the Napo Forum website - with a bit of the written introduction to the broadcast.

      http://www.napo2.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=857&sid=8fdf478140ca2723749d3dae74bee684

      The truth is available - but hard to find and share in a constructive way!

      Delete
  9. PS - I note Google's highlight today is the fall of the Berlin wall. - ordinary people showing extraordinary resilience. The photo of those standing along the wall was replicated on the You Tube video - with protesters standing on a bridge over a motorway. You can do it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/11/08/whistleblowers-fears-could-lead-to-mid-staffordshire-style-scandal-in-prisons-mp-warns/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, said a member of prison staff at HMP Featherstone faced disciplinary action after he was approached in confidence by a number of prison officers over how staffing shortages were causing concerns over safety.

      Mr Willaimson said: “It’s a totally disgraceful situation and goes against everything that we want to be seeing within the public sector, where whistleblowing needs to be encouraged when the concerns of those working within the system are not being addressed internally.”

      Mr Williamson said he was approached over the rising levels of violence, and that inmates were not being brought to justice for attacks against staff and how short staffing was affecting safety.

      “They are taking an arrogant and high-handed attitude towards pursuing prison officers who have raised issues they are concerned about perfectly legitimately either through their MP or through other means,” he said.

      “The right for people to whistleblow must always be there. We have seen what happened in Mid Staffs hospital and we don’t want a repeat of that. I fear that that is the route the prison service seems to be going down. If people aren’t able to speak up and say this is wrong, then the public services will be weaker for that.”

      He has taken the concerns to the prisons’ minister and the Ministry of Justice.

      The Midlands houses some of Britain's most notorious prisons with HMYOI Brinsford being rated as the country's worst.

      A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “It is completely untrue to suggest that any member of staff raising legitimate concerns will face disciplinary actions. Any concerns raised by staff members are taken extremely seriously. The department has a policy which encourages staff to raise concerns to nominated officials or the confidential wrongdoing hotline.”

      Delete
    2. So you can't say whats really going on for fear of reprisals, and even if you do defy the MoJ and speak out, those with responsibility for the problems are also silenced by the MoJ!!
      It's a dictatorship we live in, not a democracy.

      http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/chiefs-firm-running-tinderbox-hmp-8071429

      Delete
    3. The MoJ say there are 'nominated officials' which sounds a bit scary. The MoJ does not regard any complaints or concerns about staffing levels as whistleblowing because they decreed the staff levels. They don't see H&S concerns, they see dissent in the ranks and they want to quash it. The MoJ is no honest broker. People go to the media and MPs because they have no trust or confidence in the authorities. And this stretches from unsafe jails to child sexual abuse.

      Delete
  11. It is being reported that Care UK staff who have been on strike for 90 days are to vote on a pay offer by their private equity employers. Those staff who transferred from the NHS to Bridgepoint had their wages cut by 35%. The new pay offer of 2%, inflation proof for the next two years, and an unconsolidated payment of £500, is being lauded as a victory by Unison. I don't know all the details but I don't see the victory in what I have read thus far about the proposed settlement. But I think massive pay cuts are going to hit CRC staff if this privatization goes ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really? No shit Sherlock. And of course life in the NPS is going to be rosy.

      Delete
    2. That's why we use the word Shafted, totally agree with anon 12:59.

      Delete
    3. The NPS won;t be rosy, but the wages won't be hammered in the same manner, because, it will carry a professional status which won't be so with the CRCs.

      Delete
    4. Smug and stating the bleeding obvious

      Delete
    5. You sound like one of those that probably thought you were shafted into the NPS on "merit/most experienced" and are the chosen one. Watch out for the 30% cut in NPS next year and your professional status when all of probation will be privatised.

      Delete
    6. I heard today that following the naming of Sodexo as a preferred bidder the CEO went out and got smashed, celebrating her £200,000 bonus for putting in a winning bid - so someone has to pay for her bonus!

      Delete
    7. 15:44/53: you are too presumptuous. I don't know of any 30% pay cuts in the public sector but you know otherwise. However, I see actual gulfs between the pay of prison officers in the public and private sector. I see people being Tupe'd and then having their pay cut by a third. Maybe there will be cuts to wages in the NPS, but the evidence out there makes it a fair extrapolation that there will be deeper cuts in CRCs. It may well be the 'bleeding obvious' to the cognoscenti, but less so to those who like to keep their heads down and get on with the job. Perhaps if more saw the writing on the wall, it would lead to more collectivism, which has been lacking in the fight against TR, as shown in the low turnouts in ballots and the crossing of picket lines.

      Delete
    8. A friend working for HMP said, all staff issued with letters requesting their blessing of a reduction of £5,000 a year....their current salary is protected to 2017 but after that massive reductions amounting to a minimum of 5 grand...something of a pay cut if you ask me.

      Delete
    9. You mate should show you the letter because I don't believe it, so can you evidence the claim you are making?

      Delete
  12. Prison and probation risk assessment tool is not effective in judging re-offending

    http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-11-prison-probation-tool-effective-re-offending.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The study is available to download for napo members from Sage (follow instructions on the Napo site).
      Its a single study raising valid questions but with clearly described limitations. It recommends that if sarn tna continues to be used there are some adjustments that make some sense in principle.
      As concerning as the Parole board dependence is on SARN, this study also doesn't support the validity of RM2000 tool, which police seem to be tied to when it comes to managing RSOs in the community and which is key in determining whether those supervised by probation will receive intervention at all i.e Anyone screened as low on RM2000 unlikely to be treated.

      But then I got sifted to the CRC so I should probably leave this stuff to the experts.

      Delete
  13. This, like several other assessment tools..being used as an absolute. Terrifying.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So many tools so little time, so many boxes to tick so little time to interview in depth. Once upon a time, it was de rigueur to interview twice for domestic violence and write a full report. All that sensible practice was ditched to satisfy centrally imposed benchmarks and costings. Detailed risk assessment is a luxury and all the bosses want is categorisation on the cheap.

      When everything gets bureaucratized, and the conveyer belt speeds up is it any wonder there is a speed/quality trade-off?

      Delete
  14. In my experience SARN TA is utterly relied upon by the Parole Board, they appear to believe it to be a rigorous assessment just because a psychologist has completed it. It is POs who manage risk in the community and they should be listened to more. I really welcome this research and hope it shakes the PBs belief in the infallibility of the SARN!

    ReplyDelete
  15. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2827303/G4S-forced-spend-500-000-changing-locks-prison-blundering-guards-lost-keys.html

    worth a read, G4S and the power of privatisation

    ReplyDelete
  16. Friend of man in the pub9 November 2014 at 14:50

    Man in the pub says that many staff in Manchester are talking about having a vote of no confidence in the CEO of the NPS...amyone from this area heard anything about this? Could start a trend....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I currently work in Manchester I feel qualified to comment.

      There will be NO vote of no confidence in our CEO simply due to the fact that we are too fecking busy just trying to get the day job done. If, and it's a big if, we have a spare five minutes, we normally use it to go and lie down in a very dark room.

      It's getting crowded in there though and our ACE has moved their pillows in.

      Delete
    2. I too work in Manchester and although I am also spending most my working day in the dark room, I would still like to slip a piece of paper under the door voting for a vote of no confidence. Our CEO has been an utter disgrace and looked after herself, she has not once showed that she cares about the staff, a vote of no confidence would fit well.

      Delete
    3. I would urge you to do it via a collective letter. It has ours thinking believe me. Check out Vocarious Liability and chuck this into the mix.

      Delete
    4. Far too much fear in Manchester to do this.....we are living under a shadow

      Delete
    5. I second that.

      Delete
    6. I reiterate my earlier comment. Do it collectively. They cannot sack you all. In our area all it took was a discussion at a water coller. An e-mail sent to all operating staff and that's all that was needed. We have our ACO on the uppers and heard about other area's getting somewhere too. Stick together, they need you more than you need them!!!

      Delete
  17. I typed in 'probation service close to breaking point' and up came 4 pages of sites with those very words - in 2014,'13, '10, '08, '07, '05, '03, and even 1983, in a letter from Michael Varah, published on a Probation Journal, referring to some areas taking on extra duties with no extra funding, and it was getting worse. I was a mere youth worker then, but it evidences that we have always been stoic in offering up our best, with no thanks, just expectation that we would continue to push ourselves to the limit, in our belief in the job as a vocation, assisting and enabling, whatever they threw at us (or didn't throw).

    NOTE - the site re M Varah is on 3rd page of 'probation close to breaking point' sites, and is 3rd one down. -prb.sagepub,com- M Varah 1983 - headed 'the power of teaching, the wonderful group identity....'. (I can't be bothered with typing in all those numbers, it's too easy to write it wrongly.)

    A colleague of mine worked in Surrey when he was CPO and always spoke of him with fondness. On the 'Michael Varah Memorial Fund' site, he is described as 'a wise counsellor, a friend to all who needed him, who could fix broken windows and broken souls' - how many CPO's would come anywhere near that now.

    And a quote of his - so prophetic -'it is a pity that successive governments cannot get their act together- they all need to be put on probation and find out that change takes time'.

    Wow! What a man!
    CG - and your mates at MOJ - ARE YOU READING THIS?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Michael Varah tried to outsource Community Service to HIS OWN CHARITY in the late 1990s. Be careful who you look to for inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember that. A maverick who caused a lot of problems.

      Delete
  19. re anon1540 - Could you clarify please? I can only go by what I have heard about the man, what I have read, and comments from a colleague and friend who was a PO under Michael for several years, and had total respect for this caring man.

    His only connection with Community Service that I can find, other than when he was working as a CS PO early in his career, was that as a CPO, he took C S offenders to do voluntary work in Romania in early 90's - twice, raising the money themselves - a huge success, changing the attitude of the offenders, whilst doing valuable work in the orphanages, although he was later slammed by the Home Office for taking people abroad, when CS was intended to help the local community, and that they were working longer than stipulated by law, and though successful, it has never happened again.

    His whole lifestyle, from being a nationally successful athlete, appears to have been about helping the community, as with his father before him, Chad Varah, and specifically aimed at improving the lives of destitute and vulnerable young people.

    And his charity, now being run by his children, is allegedly totally run by vols and all money is raised by fundraising. And if he did want to run C S, when its privatisation was on the cards for years, I am sure it would have been done from a far more ethical base than any of the for-profit-only scams who are sniffing around now like rats around restaurant dustbins.

    if you know something other, please tell.

    ReplyDelete
  20. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/09/cerys-yemm-cannibalism-murder-ipcc-investigation

    ReplyDelete
  21. You repeat the statement about managers being silenced in northumbria which isn't true!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If management haven't been silenced, why aren't they speaking out saying everything is not fine and dandy, but utter chaos like everyone is on the shop floor?

      Delete
    2. I appreciate that all staff from higher management and below are in a very difficult position, the vast majority of people have mortgages, children, debts etc and need a job, they are not going to risk that by speaking out and being critical, even when inside they probably know what a crock of s**t it all is. What I take exception to is them spouting on to us that everything is ok, bang on about performance, tell us about it being a time for opportunities when we know from looking at other sectors that jobs are the first to go to maximise profits. Be honest, be real; don't say anything at all if you can't say how it really is and certainly don't get on people's backs when you haven't done the coal face in ages and when you did, it wasn't with the crap systems/processes/volume of work that we have now.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9 November 2014 18:07
      If management haven't been silenced, why aren't they speaking out saying everything is not fine and dandy, but utter chaos like everyone is on the shop floor?

      Like all the anonymous commentators on here! Honestly think about what you are saying!

      Delete
    4. Annon 20:40

      "Like all the anonymous commentators on here!"

      That would be you too, yes?

      Delete
    5. Of course isn't that the point!

      Delete
  22. I am keen to now what is meant by the 'no monitoring' of the man in S Wales....in our area, people can wait for ages to be tagged, after Court or on release from Jail...maybe this is what is being referred to?

    ReplyDelete
  23. can we stop speculating about this case please? really quite distasteful

    ReplyDelete
  24. Will newly qualified probation officers have to apply for jobs in the NPS. Surely if not crc po's have been constructively dismissed as there are vacancies in the NPS. What about when companies try to get rid of po's or reduce wages. I still don't see how the government have been able to treat staff from the same organisations so differently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are not guaranteed employment but its naive to think future recruitment to NPS will give equal credence to CRC POs as those cutting their teeth in the NPS.

      Delete
    2. i suppose they can afford to not give newly qualified staff posts afterall they are only paying for one years training which is why they're asking for criminology/community justice/police study degrees. Its outrageous the way they don't open up to PSOs who've done the job for years - people have families and have to bide their time for it to be right for them to apply- i'm probably what you would describe 'long in the tooth' but I've been bringing kids up and now they've left home i'm ready to train but have been met with dead ends - I've done the job for years and it counts for nothing.

      the whole mess stinks and as for diversity don't make me laugh -I bet the majority of new recruits are from the same ethnic background and all under 30.

      Delete
    3. Those "Cutting their teeth" in NPS, will surely also need to be seconded or similar into the CRC's in order to gain the experience. and to inform reports. Those PSO's wishing to progress, don't give up, I hear there will be another 1000 trainees recruited in Jan 2015.

      Delete
    4. Where are the placements and assessors for these new recruits?

      Delete
    5. " Probation Graduate Diploma

      November 7 at 4:40pm ·

      Don't delay - there's less than week to apply for our January intake. The sooner you apply, the more likely you are to get your choice of assessment centre venue! "

      https://www.facebook.com/ProbationGraduateDiploma/posts/735661449804529

      Delete
  25. This is obviously a consequence of probation failings; ergo the need for Sedoxo to come in save the day!!!

    http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/middlesbrough-criminals-among-most-likely-8077560

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quite! I like the way (not!) that Andrew Selous said 'through our crucial reforms to probation, we are finally addressing this glaring gap' as though it is the fault of those wilful probation officers!! If it is so glaring to the MOJ now, why was it not so when the Trusts offered to take the very same reforms on?

      I would suggest m'lord that the MOJ has been totally irresponsible, nay incompetent, nay ruthless, in deliberately ignoring this glaring gap, and equally deliberately leaving the public at risk. I would suggest mlord, that the only recourse is to immediately take this dastardly unworthy gang, who have been influenced by a malicious leader, to a place where they shall be hung by their necks until they are dead, and then deliver an expeditious return to the status quo.

      Delete
    2. Criminals in Middlesbrough are among the most likely to reoffend in the country.

      Nearly one third - 32.9% - of adult and child criminals in Middlesbrough have definitely committed at least one further offence within a year of being convicted, or 18 months if they had to go to court.

      That is higher than any other local authority area in the country.

      Hartlepool has the highest rate in the country overall at 35.6%.

      In Middlesbrough, the rate has come down between 2005 to 2012. It was 34.1% in 2005.

      Justice Minister Andrew Selous said: “Reoffending rates remain too high - too many honest, hardworking people are being mugged, burgled or worse by criminals who have already broken the law.

      “Prisoners sentenced to less than 12 months currently get no support on release and this group have the highest reoffending rates, with almost 60 per cent returning to crime within a year of release.

      “Through our crucial reforms to probation we are finally addressing this glaring gap. Making sure all prisoners get the support they need to turn away from crime will be vital in reducing reoffending and making our communities safer.”

      The average criminal in Middlesbrough had an average of 19.2 offences on their record already - again one of the highest in England and Wales. The average nationally was 12.1 offences.

      There were 1,006 criminals in Middlesbrough who broke the law again soon after their initial appearance in the justice system.

      This hard core of criminals committed an average of 3.6 offences each.

      Overall in England and Wales the reoffending rate is 26% - the lowest since at least 2005.

      Delete
  26. Has anyone else in CRC tried to complete an OASys assessing someone as high risk of serious harm? Turns out we're not allowed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How is this a surprise? This is a basic premise of the split and has hardly been kept quiet

      Delete
    2. I thought CRC could assess as high then transfer over to NPS.

      Delete
    3. Then you misunderstand the risk escalation process

      Delete
  27. South Wales deaths - a mother speaks to BBC: -

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-29981512

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Off topic, but it tickled me.

      http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice/legal-aid-form-to-be-amended/5044938.article

      Delete
  28. 'the whole mess stinks and as for diversity don't make me laugh -I bet the majority of new recruits are from the same ethnic background and all under 30.'
    ... and in our office they're mainly female and have no experience. They are being trained to deliver Programmes 50% of the time.

    ReplyDelete
  29. What will happen to the current Partners who workclosely with Probation ie Accommodation and ETE. Who will provide those services. Will all unemployed offenders be referred to the Work Programme ie Working Links? Would that be double funding?

    ReplyDelete
  30. I have just found your blog after looking around the internet for careers, and after emailing my local Probation Trust to ask about work experience with them. I am a 35 yr old teacher and have left my job in teaching to be able to pursue a career in psychotherapy. I have a lot of free time at the moment and am filling it by, amongst other things, volunteering in a local centre for homeless and vulnerable adults. Many are on probation and I am spending a considerable amount of time each day trying to figure out how it all works and what the support structure is for these men and women (other agencies as well as the probation service). After only a short amount of time scanning your blog I can see that it is not only me who is frustrated - and I don't even work in this area.
    Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts. I will continue to read your blog with interest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Probation is not a good place to be right now I'm afraid.

      Delete