Well, we've had a couple of days for it all to sink in and the viewing figures continue to reflect renewed interest and concern with 2,750 tuning-in even on a Saturday.
Following on from the anticipated triumphalist Napo version of history published on Friday, I can't help noticing it got no mention at all on the 'secret' Facebook page, in stark contrast and astonishment of some readers here. I suspect many will take issue with various historical assertions, but fortunately an alternative narrative exists in the archives here and authored not by me, but by thousands of individual and heart-felt contributions from directly-affected practitioners at the time.
Personally, I think it struck entirely the wrong note and missed the opportunity of acknowledging the involvement of many other people and agencies; any hint that upon reflection there was anything that could have been done differently or better; any opportunities that were missed, or any lessons that could have been learned. I say this because many of us realise that more agony and heartache is likely to be visited upon staff in CRC's as a new 'transition' unfolds with yet more uncertainty and disruption. Many will be genuinely concerned regarding the union's ability to handle any 'shafting' mark 2.
As on many previous occasions, there's always the possibility that my observations will be regarded as 'anti-Napo', when in fact I've always been a keen supporter, but we all know the difficulties associated with the role of being a 'critical friend'. Over the years the blog has been running, I've had numerous unofficial and off-the-record constructive communications with key Napo insiders at all levels, at various key moments and in furtherance of shared aims.
Whilst confidences will continue to be respected, it should be noteworthy that we have always shared exactly the same strategic aims, now more so than ever. Although happily reintegration has been achieved, it must be accepted that the role of probation is completely incompatible with being part of HMPPS and a civil service command and control culture. Probation simply must regain its identity and independence and therefore this blog will continue to make the case and constructively support any agency, body or individual who shares this view.
Last night I found myself watching the brilliant but deeply-shocking BBC documentary 'The Unwanted : The Secret Windrush Files'. With perfect timing it not only confirmed from historical evidence Winston Churchill's racist views, most significantly it highlighted the obnoxious role of civil servants at the Home Office over the years in constructing an institutional racist environment.
Right up to the present day and the continuing scary goings-on at Lunar House in Croydon, how can any probation employee be comfortable with their role in society and also be a civil servant duty-bound to carry out direct orders of the state without question or discretion? Probation MUST regain independence before it loses any remaining credibility. Over to you 'Bronze Command'!
We have all been doing what we can during the years to reject the change. In many ways the operating models and individual selected promotions of key staff undermined probation staff. It meant the change into CRC culture had hardened and in the majority set. This will be a shock to those now shifting to NPS command and control. The problems will be magnified no matter how much soft talking the transition propaganda will spew out. The Napo fairy tale is an insulting rewrite of their selected narrative. A keen reader of this blog I looked forward to the Napo southwest reports. These often gritty descriptions described the activities of the real activists delivering what was required to fight off tr. None of that could be offered as fairy tale as staff felt constantly attacked made ill and some
ReplyDeleteReduced to resign. It is poor judgement and lacks proportionate understanding to have framed what happened in this framing way. I would like to see a blog on reflections of those members experiences. What we all hope to be saying good riddance to soon.
Interestingly in his address on Friday Robert Buckland kept stressing 'robust sentencing' was at the centre of their new ideology. As a Napo member and PO working in a CRC I find it incredible that proposals at Court give no credit to a person's ability to complete the sentence ie 200hrs UPW, 20 RAR days and BBR to somebody working. Any rehabilitative effect gets lost in the mire of 'completing' the order. Somebody from Probation management should advise the MOJ that they need to look at the EPF and rename it 'What Doesn't Work'
ReplyDeleteOh, Lunar House and the Immigration Department - I remember them with horror from my days as a seconded officer in a London Prison trying to prepare folk for release.
ReplyDeleteI think even back then the system and the individuals in it were just overloaded with work, inadequate procedures, and too few people so that compassion for desperate and fearful folk seemed nil. We were too busy to do more than "fire fight" whilst trying to have conversations with prisoners facing release or possible reincarceration somewhere else or possibly a trip to an airport where they genuinely feared death on arrival at their destination.
How can we accept living in a country with such little official compassion for human beings unless they feature in a media storm?
I shudder with despair and guilt at my relative comfort.
I think people's silence on Bucklands statement this week relates to uncertainty for the future and more upheaval. It's all becoming a very protracted and tiring process for many, and even when things are bad, there's some comfort to be found in "the devil you know".
ReplyDeleteI too watched the 'Unwanted' last night, but I watched it from a different perspective then I usually would because of something that struck a chord with me whilst watching Question Time this week.
I was reminded that when I went to school in Ireland the history books I learned from portrayed the 1916 Easter Uprising as a stand against oppression and a fight for freedom and independence.
My history text books when I returned to England portrayed that event in 1916 very differently, it was the quashing of a subversive rebellion. One historical event, two very polarised explanations, not presented by media outlets known to have bias, but in historical textbooks, presented as factual, and being use to 'educate'.
Turning to the web to find some understanding of how this could be I discovered a a new word I didn't know, 'Negationism'.
I found it truely shocking, and although the examples given were at the heavy end of the spectrum, it's easy to see how 'Negationism' underpins everything across the spectrum, and will influence how the storey of TR is recorded in probation history, just as much as its influenced our understanding of the slave trade or war crimes.
It's a scarey thought, and sour to the taste, but Trump wasn't far off the mark when he spoke of 'alternative facts'.
If we have alternative histories, we must also have alternative facts and truths?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_negationism
'Getafix
"The Fight Continues"
ReplyDeleteSent by email today.
Dear Mr Lammy
I felt angry at the way you were interviewed this morning by BBCR4. Perhaps Justin would say he was being 'fairminded' or 'balanced' or 'challenging'. To a simple creature like myself it sounded like he was wanting to provoke unneccesarily.
As an old white man living in a quiet part of the world its still bleedin' obvious to me what 'white privilege' is - its not having to deal with the daily shit that black people & people of non-white or mixed ethnic heritage are subjected to.
I get angry about White lies, inherent inequalities, political bullshit, the privilege achieved through unseemly wealth of a tiny few - but I can find respite from the relentless tide of shit because I'm white.
I am the default "ok" position in the UK.
Your responses on R4 this morning reminded me of this article from the Guardian a few years ago:
"Memo to Theresa May: yet another report won’t fix race inequality - Afua Hirsch – Oct 2017
I’ve learned a lot about the history of racism in Britain lately. The question I keep asking – reading Charles Dickens’ jokes about “niggers”, Winston Churchill’s views of the British as “a higher-grade race”, or the widespread experience of being beaten to a pulp by the police in the 1970s – is when was the moment that Britain changed?
Was it the Race Relations Act of 1976, which for the first time outlawed race discrimination? Was it the Scarman report of 1981, with its damning indictment of the reality for black inner-city communities? Was it the Macpherson report in 1996 after the death of Stephen Lawrence, which brought “institutional racism” into the lexicon? Was it New Labour in 1997, putting race equality and human rights centre stage? Was it the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié in 2000? Was it the Race at Work survey of 2015, which found that 30% of ethnic minority people still experienced racial harassment in the workplace?
Was it earlier this year, when Ruby McGregor-Smith found that ethnic minority employees were being subjected to, and were internalising, discrimination? Was it last month, when David Lammy reported on the over-representation of BME people in the criminal justice system? Was it last week, when Operation Black Vote found that power in Britain was still white? Or will it be this month, when Theresa May publishes her audit of racial disparities in public services, revealing – she has already promised – “difficult truths”?
The truth is that none of these reports marks the radical turning point that we need. The best evidence of this is that each report is soon succeeded by a further report confirming the same problems exist. Their frequency is becoming bewildering, even to someone, like me, who unequivocally welcomes the project of addressing our historic legacy of injustice…”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/03/theresa-may-race-equality-report-racism-inequality-britain
With Support & Best Wishes
Well done you. How very worthy.
DeleteIts a gesture of support that certainly has far greater worth than (a) doing nothing or (b) sneering & sniping.
DeleteExcellent short piece from Bonnie Greer talking with Simon McCoy just aired on BBC News
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Probation was a nationalised service previously. Probation operated as separate Trusts with Probation employees being public servants (Serving the Public) not civil servants (Serving the Queen).
ReplyDeleteMoving to Civil Servants means that they will be controlled by national rules and will lose the slight independence and geographical focus they had previously.
I think this needs to be truly understood during this move.
Where has all the joy gone? I rose with the birds this morning after a series of disturbing dreams thorughout the night. It struck me that there is no joy left in our world. All we seem to do is bounce uncontrollably from one crisis to another, to survive a succession of traumatic events - no-one 'lives' a life.
ReplyDeleteWe're all in a permanent state of crisis management We're all enduring trauma after trauma
There's little or no space for joy
Probation staff - years & years of uncertainty, of disruption, of fundamental organisational changes, of being blamed, of losing colleagues, of no pay rise, of reducing terms & conditions - and this while holding down a stressful job with complex caseloads.
NHS staff - years & years of uncertainty, of disruption, of fundamental organisational changes, of being blamed, of losing colleagues, of no pay rise, of reducing terms & conditions - and this while holding down a stressful job with complex caseloads.
Care workers, police, prison staff, social services staff, substance use teams, etc etc etc.
Everyone has spent years grinding away in a hostile environment - Austerity, Brexit, Pandemic
Bonnie Greer spoke of lifelong & unresolved trauma in the Black community. She described hearing trauma in David Lammy's frustrated exchanges yeaterday. She described her own experiences and highlightes the trauma that defined those experiences.
And she was right.
So what I see now is that as a result of events over recent times we are ALL carrying significant grief and trauma. We have all become attuned to living in a high state of anxiety, a state of fear, a state of hyper-vigilance. no time for compassion or understanding.
SNIP! SNIP! "How very worthy" SNAK! SNAK! "Save our Statues"
KLAXON! KLAXON!
"Stay Alert" - "Shop Thy Neighbour" - "Save Our Economy" - "Don't Wear a Facemask" - "Wear A Facemask" - "Two Metres" - "One Metre" - "Stand On Your Heed"
Its no wonder that people have been gathering together, whether to protest #BLM or to worship at the altar of Retail Therapy; people are feeling alone, frightened, angry, fearful, distressed. They want to feel some joy - whether its to share a message or feel the rush of purchasing something, anything - Primark, SportsDirect, Nike...
We are but one of many nations in a state of rolling trauma.
We need some healing time.
We need some joy.
Who will be bidding here?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.government-online.net/probation-services/
"Ministry of Justice Probation Services Dynamic Framework
Monday, 15 June 2020, 9:30
Ministry of Justice Probation Services Dynamic Framework
The authority seeks to establish a probation services dynamic framework to purchase services to deliver rehabilitation and resettlement interventions.
United Kingdom-London: Probation services
2020/S 114-277986
Contract notice
Services
Legal Basis:
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name and addresses
Official name: Ministry of Justice
Postal address: 102 Petty France
Town: London
NUTS code: UK UNITED KINGDOM
Postal code: SW1H 9AJ
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: probationdynamicframework@justice.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 2033343555
Internet address(es):Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
I.2)Information about joint procurement
I.3)Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via: https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the abovementioned address
continues............"
Well that's pissed all over a call for joy!
DeleteAND via Twitter: -
ReplyDelete"NPS SWSC DTT
@NPSSWSCDTT
Today's the day! Applications are now open for the next intake if Trainee Probation officers. Applications close 12th July, however may closer earlier if there are a high volume... so get going!
http://traintobeaprobationofficer.com
11:00 AM · Jun 15, 2020·Twitter for Android"
https://twitter.com/NPSSWSCDTT/status/1272468950018936833
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/15/probation-has-been-handled-disgracefully
ReplyDelete