I am unable to post direct, my apologies, but would like to ask blog readers to please read the summary and conclusion in the HMIP final report following the Independent Review of the case of Leroy Campbell published September 2018 and consider what we are learning today about the Joseph McCann SFO:-
“In our report we have identified some significant shortcomings in the practice and management of this case ( LC)......in many SFO reviews the issues identified are systemic failures, whereas in the case we have identified points where practitioners and managers simply did not do what they should have done.”
Following this Sonia Crozier (Executive Director NPS) and Ian Poree (Executive Director Interventions) wrote to all staff:-
“all SFOs are tragic events with impacts on victims, families and staff. We know that staff across probation are dedicated in their efforts to avoid such cases, but if they do happen we also have a duty to learn from them.”
I am intrigued to know what Ms Crozier and Mr Poree put in place to ensure the learning from the Leroy Campbell case was taken forward. We know LC had a significant number of Offender Managers and this was a criticism in the HMIP report, then today we learn that 4 Probation Officers from Watford Office faced disciplinary concerning the McCann case but no mention is made of action against managers or senior managers.
We all know as practitioners that TR had a devastating impact on Probation, my personal caseload average post TR was 150%. That is not exceptional, other POs have (and currently are) higher. Agency staff continue to be essential workers at this time, the only relief offered to exhausted teams who have been working for years now under this excessive workload.
My point? Just when are Senior Managers accountable for failure over years to adequately resource this essential Criminal Justice agency? Is our service ever running short of senior managers? No, any such vacancies are promptly filled. But the coal face? Well, there’s the rub. Every LDU is running on fewer practitioners that it should have and the consequences over time are mounting up in ever increasing numbers of SFOs.
This situation is a failing at Executive and Senior Management level and given lessons are not being learned just when are THEY accountable?
Anon
excellent observations.
ReplyDeleteWhy aren't there enough staff?
ReplyDeleteWell, remember there was the rushed, unfathomable TR1 sifting of large numbers of qualified, experienced practitioners followed by the CRC's cull of staff. In March 2015 there was this on this blog for just one of the 21 CRC areas:
"We currently have an establishment of 340 full time equivalent staff (which includes agency and fixed term contract staff) within Cumbria and Lancashire and we will need to move to the full time equivalent of 217 by the Autumn. This is a reduction of 123 full time equivalents."
That included reductions of 17 Probation Services Officers (from 88 to 71) & 25 Probation Officers (from 56 to 31).
These 40+ staff were hampered from returning to NPS employment by being re-branded as 'second-class' through the imposition of a range of hurdles, e.g. having to start at the bottom of the relevant scale rather than being transferred across on existing terms & conditions (as NPS to CRC transferees could). Some may have made it back, some may have taken agency work - many (if not most) would have had enough & are now happily engaged in other roles, e.g. making coffees
The whole disastrous, calamitous collapse of the Probation Service was a calculated structural demolition.
To repeat the words of Anon in today's blog: "This situation is a failing at Executive and Senior Management level and given lessons are not being learned just when are THEY accountable?"
Moreover, the intentional, injurious acts by Grayling & those who carried out his wishes must also be accounted for in giving the context of the tragic systemic failings we are now hearing about.
From Twitter:-
Delete"They are historically paralysed by fear.Fear of being marginalised, not getting the “next” promotion (or for some, a knighthood) #Youknowwho The bullying culture works from the top down and Area managers (Or whatever their titles are) seem to revel in this bullying towards No1’s."
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"I am aware that colleagues in NPS have come under scrutiny 2 weekends on the bounce. Please know that #probation CRC colleagues stand with you. TR is fundamental to this and it’s unacceptable that accountability does not go as high as ministers."
Two articles I've read this morning sit well I think with today's blog post.
ReplyDeleteBoth cover the question of accountability of political decision makers. One is quite general, the other very specifically relating to the DWP.
https://nation.com.pk/07-Dec-2019/right-person-for-the-right-job
https://www-thecanary-co.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/06/senior-tories-and-the-dwp-could-face-criminal-investigation-over-disabled-peoples-deaths/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15757176755959&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecanary.co%2Fuk%2Fnews%2F2019%2F12%2F06%2Fsenior-tories-and-the-dwp-could-face-criminal-investigation-over-disabled-peoples-deaths%2F
'Getafix
Completely agree with this post. I'm a fairly new SPO. Workloads are just unmanageable. I spend my day dealing with burnt out staff, I have never known so many staff to have mental health issues. I'm trying my best to keep them in work and wrap as much support around them as possible but it just feels like a sticking plaster. Change must come from higher up but they just don't care. I've tried to express my concerns but was told "you can always leave if you wanted". This is not what I want. I did not join probation to be told that! Because I'm dealing with staff issues all week and the constant emails full of actions "check this list, plan an event for tomorrow's disability day, audit these cases etc" I have zero time to do my own work. I'm logging on every single night and at weekends. I'm working 65+ hours a week. I've not done a timesheet in years and never claim any of this back. I'm not doing anything exceptional, I'm just keeping the office ticking over. Do I get any thanks from senior managers? Nope! I just get told off for not completing my mandatory training. It's an awful organisation to work for right now. Still full of good people though (for the most part) and it's those who I stick around for. But I'm a long way from retirement and I'm not sure I have it in me to stay much longer.
ReplyDeleteFrom Twitter:-
Delete"Two current Senior Probation Officers (whom I trust and admire) have said very similar things to me this week."
Shame on the NPS.
DeleteShame on HMPPS.
Shame on the politicians, civil servants & others who enabled such a disastrous situation.
But as demonstrated by the earlier comments they are without the capacity for shame, understanding or compassion.
All they are capable of is bullying, pointing their crooked fingers at everyone else & pocketing their excessive, ill-deserved rewards.
From Twitter:-
Delete"My SPO is just as supportive... we’re all on our bloody knees with targets and no admin support and caseloads going through to roof... spinning plates! No pay rise and no prospect of one in the future under present arrangements! They blame staff for organisational screw ups!"
I have posted on this blog anonymously for fear of reprisals so it is refreshing that I no longer have to feel scared that I might accidentally reveal myself.I ended up going off sick at the end of May to care for my elderly father ( who sadly passed away in June ) I became physically and mentally unable to return to work knowing full well what I would be walking back into. During my 3 months off not once did I feel supported , I was made subject to CGM's sicknesses absence review policy and felt more harassed than anything.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went off in May I had a predominantly medium risk case load ( mainly DV ) of 85+ cases with severe mental health issues / homelessness ( I was a CM/PSO ) - I can honestly say as an experienced CM/ PSO this past 2/3 years have felt like living in hell , I class myself ( as do my family) as quite hard core but the changes and models that were introduced just made it impossible to remain on top of work , to manage risk and effectively support and work with service users and going home every night wondering if I would walk into an SFO the next day leaving me constantly emotionally exhausted , frustrated and angry with management for their complete and utter denial that none of what they'd introduced was working and to constantly send out email after email about targets , how we needed to do better and what we still had to complete ( regardless on numerous occasions there may only be two members of staff in the office ( absolutely no exaggeration on lower than low staffing levels in some offices ). CGM have lost ( and continue to lose ) staff but yet the higher powers that be appear to be deluded that the staff that are left can continue to manage big case loads and still meet ridiculous performance targets.
I ( along with three other people in pretty much the same month ) made the decision to resign and left in September this year - this was a job that for the past 20+ years I have loved (well before TR) and envisaged that I would remain in this employment till I retired.
Sorry to hear about your circumstances.
DeleteSo many good people with so much knowledge, talent, experience & goodwill have simply been sidelined, damaged &/or discarded by a cabal of absolute tossers who know fuck-all about Probation.
From Twitter:-
Delete"I am also out of it but I recognise what you outlined. Tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine stick to your 37 hours per week and record everything."
From Twitter:-
Delete"So sad, hardworking people being burnt out. It's a similar picture in our profession (Social Work) I went part time because I didn't want to leave a job I love but couldn't cope with the pressure. Still, getting paid p/t wages for much more than p/t hours."
From Twitter:-
Delete"I joined bright eyed and bushy tailed thinking I had a foot in the door for a future career... I left within two months for my own sanity."
Weren't there targets in relation to recalls to try to reduce how many there were? Are they still in place?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right. It was a programme called 'Alternatives to Recall' designed to reduce the prison population. And NPS LDUs are still ranked in order of successful completion of licence periods, i.e. where no recall has taken place. I always knew it would lead to staff getting a big decision wrong and that Kenny would go potty as a result.
Deletehttps://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/07/london-bridge-attack-follows-changes-to-management-of-freed-terrorists-says-expert?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15757364381327&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2F2019%2Fdec%2F07%2Flondon-bridge-attack-follows-changes-to-management-of-freed-terrorists-says-expert
DeleteJust watched Katie Lomas being interviewed by Sean Ley on BBCNews. I closed my eyes, bit my fingers & cringed in anticipation but... my goodness me, she did as good a job as anyone has in setting out the context of TR, the split, the loss of staff meaning loss of experience & stability, the stress, the high caseloads AND the further risks that have to follow with TR2.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that the many raw, cutting contributions to this blog over the past few days have been noted by 'those who don't read it' & have been woven in to the Napo narrative. As they should be. They are the voices of practitioners in professional & personal pain.
I heard Ian Lawrence on the radio and saw the same news item. I think she is more able than him by a country mile. Or a thousand .
DeleteAOL -
ReplyDelete"The father of London Bridge terror attack victim Jack Merritt has accused the Prime Minister of lying during the latest live TV debate.
David Merritt took to social media to claim Boris Johnson had used his 25-year-old son's death to "make political capital" during the BBC Election Debate with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday evening.
Writing on Twitter on Saturday, Mr Merritt said Mr Johnson was taking people for a ride.
He added: "Corbyn spoke the truth last night. Johnson lied and used our son's death to make political capital.
"Wake up Britain, this man is a fraud.
"He's the worst of us, and he's taking you for a ride."
Cambridge University graduates Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, 23, were attacked by Usman Khan during a prisoner rehabilitation event at Fishmongers' Hall on Friday November 29.
Khan attacked five people, including the graduates, armed with two kitchen knives and wearing a fake suicide vest before he was tackled by members of the public on London Bridge and then shot dead by police at point-blank range.
During the BBC debate, the two party leaders were asked about balancing the needs of security against human rights in the wake of the terror attack.
Mr Corbyn said: "What happened on the streets of London was utterly appalling and I was very moved by what Jack Merritt's father said about what his son was trying to do.
"That he wanted a society where you did address the huge problems where somebody committed awful acts; of course you must imprison them, of course you try and rehabilitate them if you can."
Mr Johnson said: "I have huge sympathy for Mr Merritt and the families of both victims and it was an absolutely terrible thing.
"But I still think it's wrong that someone like Usman Khan, who was sentenced to 21 years or 16 years plus five on licence, should have been out automatically on eight years."
But Mr Merritt said on Twitter that there was no justification for cutting the early release tariff and claimed it was just trying to "look tough".
He added: "There is no justification at all for cutting the early release tariff from a half to a third of sentences for all sentences over four years that carry a maximum life sentence – that's just trying to look tough on the backs of other prisoners' suffering.
"If prisoners have engaged with rehabilitation and turned their lives around, why should they be punished for what Khan did?"
Independent.
DeletePosting on his social media account, Mr Merritt responded to a reference of the attack during Friday’s BBC leaders’ debate, saying: “If prisoners have engaged with rehabilitation and turned their lives around, why should they be punished for what Khan did?”
In his first direct attack on Mr Johnson, who he had previously pleaded with to stop politicising the death of his son, he said: “[Jeremy] Corbyn spoke the truth last night. Johnson lied and used our son’s death to make political capital.
He added: “Wake up Britain: this man is a fraud. He’s the worst of us, and he’s taking you for a ride. You may think the options open to you in this election are not entirely to your liking. Me neither, but I’ll be voting least worst option: anti-Tory.”
“For all our sakes, and for the future of the country, please, please do the same.”
HMIP report: "29% Percentage fall in the number of pre-sentence reports completed from July-September 2013 to July-September 2018"
ReplyDeleteThat's 29% fewer cases where there is significant background information about an individual, a baseline of knowledge which contributes to the "intel" that informs sentencing, sentence planning, parole decisions, rehabilitation needs; a source of information that helps explain how an individual found their way to the interview, what happened to them, what deficits can be addressed.
These are issues the privateers don't give a fuck about because they ain't about rehabilitation, they're about monetisation, profitability & processing commodities. No Aussie capitalisation bank has any interest whatsoever in anything other than improving the financial return on the investment.
And these are issues the new NPS no longer give a fuck about because they're of no interest to the political classes, to the spads, to the career civil servants looking for their next lucrative gong-enhancing posting - New York? Brussels?