Recent contributions pretty much say it all I think:-
******
No, current practice not worthy of the term 'probation'.
To a familiar tune:
"Its HMPPS, they're HMPPS, we know they are, that's all they are, they're HMPPS."
The word 'probation' within that acronym is simply to tick yet another a box; a bit like tying your enemy's flag to the back of your rocket launcher, or carving a notch in the stock of your rifle.
Probation is dead.
NB: There are individuals desperately trying to keep small samples of probation DNA alive in the hope they can recreate the noble beast. It is important to keep these locations secret as the HMPPS operatives are determined to exterminate any & all traces.
No, current practice not worthy of the term 'probation'.
To a familiar tune:
"Its HMPPS, they're HMPPS, we know they are, that's all they are, they're HMPPS."
The word 'probation' within that acronym is simply to tick yet another a box; a bit like tying your enemy's flag to the back of your rocket launcher, or carving a notch in the stock of your rifle.
Probation is dead.
NB: There are individuals desperately trying to keep small samples of probation DNA alive in the hope they can recreate the noble beast. It is important to keep these locations secret as the HMPPS operatives are determined to exterminate any & all traces.
******
Very sad indeed. What's more, the servility of the senior civil servants who have enabled the destruction of our public services is of much regret. And we have our most senior minister, the 'prime' minister, leading by example.
Most reading this blog are, presumably either probation practitioners or have knowledge/experience of the probation environment. Many will therefore, I assume, be familiar with the wriggly 'weren't-me-guv' behavioural traits of 'regular customers', of those who excel in perpetrating domestic abuse, of the sexual offence perpetrators in denial & the run-of-the-mill bullies who have an overblown sense of entitlement.
All of these behaviours have been publicly celebrated as defining our 'prime' minister by government ministers & (with rare exception) the supporting cast of backbench MPs.
It comes as no surprise that the unfashionable values of 'probation' are unwanted, unloved & ridiculed. How can you possibly believe in truth, compassion & integrity if you are cheering on Boris - a vile creature who regards life as a parlour game for posh boys, something to toy with in between enjoying sexual favours, drinking, eating & spending other peoples' money.
It is true. The rules simply do not apply to Boris. He is other-worldly, esoteric, beyond the ken of man. But not in a good way.
Has anyone actually met him? I have. Skin-crawlingly unpleasant. Vain-glorious. Aloof. Shambolic. Rude. No capacity for focus and very easily distracted by a strong drive to acknowledge wide-eyed women. Easy to see how Jennifer Arcuri became a fill-in shag on the sofa while his previous soon-to-be-ex-wife was undergoing cancer treatment. (Arcuri made sure of pocketing a few quid from her experience & doesn't seem to have regrets).
Lies, law-breaking & other socially inappropriate acts of indiscretion are merely inconveniences to this grotesque. But I think the longer he stays, the better. Uh!?!?
Firstly, the more likely it becomes that he loses his shit in public &/or takes his private quipping & trolling beyond what even the most heinous lickspittles can stomach.
Secondly, the irreparable damage to the Tories becomes more widespread. Sadly there are always unintended consequences, but Starmer might have a better long-term plan than we imagine by baiting the buffoon on a regular basis. We saw signs of a snarl today.
Again, practitioners with some time under their belts will have tales of X or Y eventually being unable to hide the reality of their true personality, or the enormity of what they've done.
The demise of probation values has been co-terminus with the demise of the moral fabric of the UK, the methods & Modus Operandi very similar. The targeting & bullying of vocal opponents, the failures & the syphoning-off of public monies has been an experience far too familiar for many probation staff.
It is VERY, VERY sad.
Very sad indeed. What's more, the servility of the senior civil servants who have enabled the destruction of our public services is of much regret. And we have our most senior minister, the 'prime' minister, leading by example.
Most reading this blog are, presumably either probation practitioners or have knowledge/experience of the probation environment. Many will therefore, I assume, be familiar with the wriggly 'weren't-me-guv' behavioural traits of 'regular customers', of those who excel in perpetrating domestic abuse, of the sexual offence perpetrators in denial & the run-of-the-mill bullies who have an overblown sense of entitlement.
All of these behaviours have been publicly celebrated as defining our 'prime' minister by government ministers & (with rare exception) the supporting cast of backbench MPs.
It comes as no surprise that the unfashionable values of 'probation' are unwanted, unloved & ridiculed. How can you possibly believe in truth, compassion & integrity if you are cheering on Boris - a vile creature who regards life as a parlour game for posh boys, something to toy with in between enjoying sexual favours, drinking, eating & spending other peoples' money.
It is true. The rules simply do not apply to Boris. He is other-worldly, esoteric, beyond the ken of man. But not in a good way.
Has anyone actually met him? I have. Skin-crawlingly unpleasant. Vain-glorious. Aloof. Shambolic. Rude. No capacity for focus and very easily distracted by a strong drive to acknowledge wide-eyed women. Easy to see how Jennifer Arcuri became a fill-in shag on the sofa while his previous soon-to-be-ex-wife was undergoing cancer treatment. (Arcuri made sure of pocketing a few quid from her experience & doesn't seem to have regrets).
Lies, law-breaking & other socially inappropriate acts of indiscretion are merely inconveniences to this grotesque. But I think the longer he stays, the better. Uh!?!?
Firstly, the more likely it becomes that he loses his shit in public &/or takes his private quipping & trolling beyond what even the most heinous lickspittles can stomach.
Secondly, the irreparable damage to the Tories becomes more widespread. Sadly there are always unintended consequences, but Starmer might have a better long-term plan than we imagine by baiting the buffoon on a regular basis. We saw signs of a snarl today.
Again, practitioners with some time under their belts will have tales of X or Y eventually being unable to hide the reality of their true personality, or the enormity of what they've done.
The demise of probation values has been co-terminus with the demise of the moral fabric of the UK, the methods & Modus Operandi very similar. The targeting & bullying of vocal opponents, the failures & the syphoning-off of public monies has been an experience far too familiar for many probation staff.
It is VERY, VERY sad.
I read the following from the probation institute with interest.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.probation-institute.org/news/probation-institute-becomes-a-charitable-incorporated-organisation
Again I'm left wondering if such a change will shift the focus of the PI away from the probation service itself and move more towards those organisations that the rehabilitation aspect of probation work is currently being farmed out to?
Accessing funding streams, in my opinion,always comes with caveats and conditions that don't always sit comfortably with the original mission statement.
'Getafix
The Probation institute was always interested in revenue and jobs for the very same people that sold us down the river. It’s fellows and directors have always been staked with former probation chief officers.
DeleteBecause it will never oppose it’s government masters the PI will always be the lipstick on the TR pig and it’s revenue will always amount to 30 pieces of silver.
I suppose it won’t be long before our weasel probation directors leave Rees-Mogg notes on our desks
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61202152
Seen on birdsong:
ReplyDelete"We did not get to this staffing crisis by accident. We (frontline) could see it a mile off. It's either been a deliberate act or through incompetent leadership which has landed us all in this mess. No sign of it getting much better for at least another year."
with reply:
"Its been many years in the making. A planned & co-ordinated deconstruction of a profession that (at least until the idiotic Trusts were imposed) didn't need a 'business model' or 'KPIs' or algorithms because it had experienced, trained practitioners; real people with skills. TR was created to provide opportunity to sift those who loved playing at being The Boss from those who were focused on good practice. Next came the team selection: compliant to NPS, trouble-makers to CRC. The promise of EVR was simply bait.
A politically devised & imposed crisis."
Hi Jim would you consider a blog on the impact that the stress and expectations of the job have on staffs mental health. Be interesting to see just how many are affected and the failures of NPS to manage it.
ReplyDeleteI'm open to considering publishing something on any topic if I feel it would be informative or helpful. Can you draft something and submit via the contact details on the profile page?
DeleteThere is a catastrophic failure in duty of care towards Probation staff. It's the national scandal that no one gives a shit about. Where are the proper surveys into staff health? No I don't mean survey monkey! There should be a random sample taken across England and Wales and Northern Ireland with staff invited to speak to a proper psychologist and not a helpline etc with unqualified staff. That would likely paint a true picture and open a can of worms. Where is our support ( Pam assist is a joke ) Where is the clinical supervision, where are the true assessments of the impact of what can be harrowing work coupled with unrealistic expectations, constant change and massive beauracracy? Time the unions stepped in and demanded action, TODAY.
DeleteI see acronyms and labels are once again in the news.
ReplyDeleteSubstance no longer seems important just as long as image and public perception is addressed.
I find it quite depressing that even though the CJS is broken at every level from courts to prisons to probation, the real concern seems to be about what do we call those that offend. Clients or Inmates? Service users? POPS?
I really want to ask the MoJ which label is more likely to stop someone reoffending?
Client? Inmates? Will someone be less likely to reoffend if they're locked in a cell for 23 hours a day or locked in a room for the same period?
Reducing reoffending is what it's all about right?
Let's have more substance and less of the illusions that are created by perception and image.
https://www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10761289/amp/Jail-guards-told-stop-calling-inmates-clients.html?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16511231167768&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-10761289%2FJail-guards-told-stop-calling-inmates-clients.html
'Getafix
Prison guards will be banned from describing criminals as 'clients' by the UK gov. Ministers want officers to stop using politically correct language in prisons.
DeleteDominic Raab asked ministers to issue a new style guide asking guards to describe inmates as 'prisoners' or 'offenders' instead of 'residents' or 'clients'. The style guide also says prison ‘cells’ should never be called ‘rooms’
Clients, Offenders, Service-Users, PoPs, PiPs..
DeleteAre we going back to Prisoners and Offenders?
I can’t keep up.
I’ll just call them by their names!!
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/justice-data-lab-statistics-april-2022
DeleteShock!! Horror!! Yet another 'man of the people', a highly regarded representative of the electorate, is ambushed - not by cake, not by tax evasion, not by fraud. This time by porn. The poor lamb.
ReplyDeleteA scenario which many who read this blog will be familiar with:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61280625
MP Neil Parish says he may have opened porn in Commons by mistake... When asked if he made a mistake and accidentally opened something on his phone in error, Mr Parish said: "I did, but let the inquiry look at that."
He has refused to resign as an MP or as head of the environment select committee until the inquiry concludes.
_______
The Times had a more detailed piece:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/82ba93fa-c7c9-11ec-81c0-e8eabc9951c2?shareToken=8f817d4d63e91af1a77a5d19b6336867
Apparently its happened more than once to this poor, sad victim, where unwanted random porn forces itself into his eyes via his 'phone (& maybe other internet-connected items?): "He said that he had “no recollection” about the kind of pornography he had been watching and declined to comment on how many occasions he had viewed it while in parliament."
His wife told The Times “I don’t understand [the attraction of] it. I’m a woman...There must be women posing for all this.”
… if it was “women”
DeleteExactly so; who trusts the tories to hand the mp's phone to the met if it was involved underage tractors?
DeleteNo. Just get him to resign immediately, make a full 'confession' to the media & close the whole tawdry thing down TIGHT & FAST; then destroy the evidence. Why else would they throw an MP to the wolves so readily with an election due?
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/82ba93fa-c7c9-11ec-81c0-e8eabc9951c2?shareToken=8f817d4d63e91af1a77a5d19b6336867
ReplyDeleteread all about it - Tory MP ambushed by porn - it must have been planted by lefty pinko socialist hackers - never happened before, except for a few times - what kind of porn? MP doesn't know. Wife blames the *women* who pose for it. (ah, but what if they were children???)
“I clicked on a file by mistake”
DeleteWtf. How many PSR’s have we written with that old excuse.
Boris is yet to answer for his own lockdown lies.
This is the calibre of our leaders and yet the Tory train keeps rolling on.
I would not speculate beyond where are. It is not confined to this guy I know of several high level staff who have some awful past track records . The learning was quickly done in my area and sexual infringements no matter were suspensions pending gross misconduct to dismissals no question. Parliament won't catch up for long while yet anyone recall green watching porn in Teresa Mays cabinet.
Deletehttps://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2022/april/dmu-take-the-lead-on-probation-training-across-the-country.aspx
DeleteApparently there's a 'Mole' in HMPPS
Wonder what DMU have to say about sexual offending & tractors?
Nothing to speculate about. He’s admitted it.
DeleteA mole? Spying for whom?
DeleteJames Mole, Head of Probation Learning Delivery at HM Prison and Probation Services
Delete1435 yes agree but the MP said initially he took the Boris defence of let's see the inquiry results. The Tory pr machine can't have all MPs doing a Boris bullshit defence so leaned on him to go now pervert.
ReplyDeleteA second rate university teaching a third rate course that’s been dumbed down over the past decade and barely equips anyone to be half decent probation officers.
ReplyDeleteAll its cohorts have been predominantly white female graduates and many leave within two years of qualification.
A missed chance to start anew.
https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2022/april/dmu-take-the-lead-on-probation-training-across-the-country.aspx
Pure snobbery, not to mention racist ageist sexism, feeling threatened are we? Different generations are looking for different things from employment and Probation fails to deliver job satisfaction to younger generations of adults, which is why they leave, along with horrendous caseloads and SFO investigations obviously
DeleteProbation and the CJS have a long documented history of discrimination against particular groups.
DeleteEveryone’s been calling for a return to social work training. Instead we get more watered down online training.
Delete06:40 the first sentence of your response concerns me.
DeleteThe quality of teaching and learning at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has been rewarded with a new contract which will see the university become the main provider of Community Justice education in the whole of the UK.
DeleteThe university has been awarded the contract by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service for its gold standard reputation in the delivery of the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) for over 18 years.
The latest contract will see the Community Justice provision expand exponentially, delivering training to probation officers of the future across London, the Southeast, Wales, the Midlands- and beyond.
Kim Sadique, Associate Professor in Community & Criminal Justice, Head of CCJ Division at DMU said: “The contract award is one of the largest educational contracts signed with DMU. We were awarded the contract because we have a long-held gold standard reputation for delivery of Community Justice programmes in CCJ Division.
“We are now the main provider of Community Justice education, delivering the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) to around two thirds of England and Wales.
“The team worked so hard to prepare and submit the tender and are working even harder in delivering to the learners on these programmes.”
She added: “I am immensely proud of all that the team have done, and continue to do, to support the training of Probation Officers.”
James Mole, Head of Probation Learning Delivery at HM Prison and Probation Services, said: “We are very pleased to be able to continue and build on the strong working relationship we have developed with De Montfort University in delivery of the PQiP Programme.
“The team has worked incredibly hard to place themselves in a great position to deliver as the largest academic provider of the PQiP Programme in the country.
“Strong working relationships have already been developed in the new areas they’re working with and I look forward to seeing them continue to grow over the course of the contract.”
Current student Jake Hillier, who started on the PQiP course in November 2021 gives the course high praise with his experiences so far.
He said: “The tutors at DMU have been so supportive and helpful, always replying quickly to any queries and providing valuable feedback on assignments.
“I was quite apprehensive given I had been out of academic practice for almost 10 years before I decided to train to become a Probation Office, I had doubts in my own ability but so far the course has been great.
“Conversations are always very open and engaging, the subject matter is both challenging and thought provoking, it’s great to be part of a course with such a high reputation.”
The latest tool in the arsenals of social workers are algorithms that help decide which families get investigated for child neglect. (Associated Press)
ReplyDelete"Pittsburgh attorney Robin Frank defends parents at one of their lowest points – when they risk losing their children.
The job is never easy, but in the past she knew what she was up against when squaring off against child protective services in family court. Now, she worries she’s fighting something she can’t see: an opaque algorithm whose statistical calculations help social workers decide which families should be investigated in the first place."
https://apnews.com/article/child-welfare-algorithm-investigation-9497ee937e0053ad4144a86c68241ef1?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter
There's a pretty dark presence embedded in the arena of social work a little closer to home than Pittsburgh.
Deletehttps://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/01/immigration-officers-local-authorities-home-office-foi-embedded?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16514302467617&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2F2022%2Fmay%2F01%2Fimmigration-officers-local-authorities-home-office-foi-embedded
'Getafix
Similar shite to Oasys then?
DeleteFrom the original 2019 report:
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/feb/16/home-office-hires-out-staff-hunt-migrants-hostile-environment
"A presentation marked “official – sensitive” reveals the department spent at least 18 months testing “the benefits of placing immigration officials in a number of organisations”. The embedded officers are asked to ensure that migrants are either charged for services or denied access to them should they fail to prove they are in the country legally.
The Home Office charges organisations £58.20 an hour for one officer. It claims the hosts can make back the cost by charging for or denying services where appropriate."
Reminder of what May's 'hostile environment' entailed:
"The policies, which May started to unveil in 2012, effectively made immigration enforcement officers out of a range of citizens – from landlords being required to conduct right-to-rent checks to doctors assessing the immigration statuses of the sick before they were treated. Bank checks, driving licence checks, employment checks were demanded. Immigration controls were introduced in all walks of life.
Then there was Operation Vaken. An immigration enforcement campaign in the summer of 2013 that involved billboard vans being branded with the warning “go home or face arrest” hit the streets of London. Immigration enforcement vehicles were branded like police cars. Adverts were placed in eight minority ethnic newspapers, postcards appeared in shop windows and leaflets and posters were put up advertising immigration surgeries in buildings used by faith and charity groups."
https://www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10772999/amp/Justice-chiefs-spend-2million-year-nearly-double-number-office-executives.html?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16514899475241&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-10772999%2FJustice-chiefs-spend-2million-year-nearly-double-number-office-executives.html
ReplyDeleteI and many others predicted that TR was, amongst other things, a jobs-for-the-chums scheme, with senior positions being created so their CRC chums could move across into comfortable positions.
DeleteFrom the article linked above:
Figures show the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has expanded the number of prison and probation service executives from 10 to 17 ***since 2015***, including a £180,000-a-year chief executive and two new director-generals each earning £160,000.
"It looks like an organisation focusing on all the wrong areas. In the backrooms of headquarters there is a job creation scheme for senior bureaucrats that looks to be out of control."
The MoJ has recently advertised for its 14th executive director position at £110,000-a-year to be in charge of ‘prison transformation’.
Its corruption run rife.
So the public are funding around £2million in annual wages for just 17 HMPPS civil servants. This does NOT include any bonuses or pension scheme contributions, or any of the London-based travel-to-work schemes.
DeleteBut you won't be getting your oustanding pay rise anytime soon.
MPs got their £2,200 increase immediately. Plus they claim public funds to pay for travel to/from work, food during the working day (which might be 7 days/week), some or all of their mortgage &/or rent, contributions to fuel bills, heating for swimming pools or stable blocks, etc.
Why aren't you on the streets, tools down, demanding fair pay for a fair day's work?
“Figures show the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has expanded the number of prison and probation service executives from 10 to 17 since 2015, including a £180,000-a-year chief executive and two new director-generals each earning £160,000.”
ReplyDeleteDisgusting. Meanwhile probation and prison officers are grossly understaffed, underworked and underpaid.
Interesting
ReplyDeletewould you believe it?
ReplyDeleteGoodLaw Project can reveal from day one of their court case challenging the govt:
Despite warnings from the Government’s own lawyers that these [Abingdon Health testing] contracts could be unlawful as they bypassed the correct procurement process, emails reveal Ministers steamrolled the project anyway, with then-Secretary of State Matt Hancock exhorting his team to “go hell for leather” at it. The contracts were awarded secretly, without any advertisement or competition.
Emails between civil servants reveal they were told by Ministers “don’t bother with HMT and rules, just buy the stuff and we can deal with it later”. One references “No 10” trying to push through a separate deal that was “dodgy”.
And despite substantial public subsidies being gifted by the Government, the antibody tests it supplied were entirely unfit for the Government’s intended purpose. The vast majority expired without ever being used.
___________________________________________
Be in no doubt that they all got performance bonuses on top of their handsome salaries. More PUBLIC money.
The wheels on the bus go round & round & round & round & round & round... ad infinitum
ReplyDeletehttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14623943.2022.2066075#.YnE_E6jHp44.twitter
"A nice idea but....: Implementing a reflective supervision model in the National Probation Service in England and Wales"
ABSTRACT
DeleteDespite significant research and literature relating to the role of critically reflective practice and staff supervision in ‘helping professions’, there has been less attention given to probation practice. This article addresses this gap by presenting the findings from a study that explores the implementation of a reflective model of staff supervision in the National Probation Service. Utilising a mixed-methods research design including a survey and semi-structured interviews with managers and front-line practitioners, the study sheds light on probation staff's experience of reflective supervision and manager perspectives of implementing the model. Overall, we find that probation staff are supportive of the ethos and underpinning principles of the reflective supervision model. However, our participants raised important barriers to implementation, most notably a lack of time and perceived tension between the managerial and developmental aspects of the supervisor role. We conclude by arguing that the Probation Service needs to address these barriers to enable reflective supervision to realise its potential to protect practitioner emotional well-being, support-positive outcomes for individuals subject to probation intervention and develop practitioner professionalism, empowerment, and autonomy.
Probation was much more simple in the 80s a large collection of different officers who did hold many differing approaches to their charges. In some cases officers swapped for different approaches and in many there were better responses.movong on we become more regulated the one sizing one approach to managing people to reduce offending likelihood support by way of housing relationships financial sometimes voluntary activity. Probation worked with people not managing them. The belief in change of the person through positive reinforces and some reward. Self empowerment and exploring contrition.
DeleteWe have adapted and in the 90s a whole new set of process came in with sotp . The idea of change pursued by programming challenge discussion remorse guilt . You name it. This approach became standardized into the boom of cognitive process . The american model permeated the new generational approach. Packaged and and sold to probation as the direction of research. Psychological research. The question of reform of sex offenders pedophiles into normal life has never been accepted. Nor murder. The belief in the concept of reform was linked to these crimes and the belief of reform became diminished across all we do. It is what led to our managerial culture. Case counting measured workload tasks. This administrative direction is now permanent the belief in change as reform for offenders is not a consideration today. Reading the article abstract reminds me of the jumble of words excessively articulated in therapeutic terms psychologically based and overtly pretentious nonsense that dropped the structure of probation clearly in the sites of the political parties. Those who either understand the pretentious approaches or dislike the pseudo elitism just got all the tools they needed to turn probation into a manage and control operation . That's what we have become and that is what we shall stay for a long time to come. There will need to social change before we treat offending differently again and while the country and world continues the march to the right reform of probation remains for many of a certain age now a truly lost cause. No authority cares that anyone needs reflective supervision . That is not required for an administrative case work role just fill in the forms do as your told to be a good worker.
It's from a few years ago, but if scrolled down to the conversation itself, there's some pretty poignant observation being discussed.
Deletehttps://mmuperu.co.uk/bjcj/articles/probation-occupational-cultures-for-the-future-a-focus-group-discussion/
'Getafix
I have just heard from one of the recruitment agencies that provide staff to The Probation Service that they have just been told that policy is now to not recruit agency staff who left the service less than 6 months prior.
ReplyDeleteI have been essentially blocked from an internal compassionate transfer (told it would take months to arrange and not guaranteed) and need to leave my region for personal reasons, so congrats another PO lost so the nose can be cut off to spite the face
Dominic Raab throws his toys far & wide:
ReplyDelete"Tracey Connelly’s cruelty towards her son, baby Peter, was pure evil.
The decision to release her demonstrates why the parole board needs a fundamental overhaul – including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders – so that it serves and protects the public."
He is a yet another deranged & dangerous Tory in a powerful role. Further evidence of the wholly un-democratic JFDI principles these neo-fascists prefer.
https://rozenberg.substack.com/p/parole-who-should-decide?s=r
DeleteJoshua Rozenberg's take on Raab's position
I see on social media that HMPPS are handing out "long service awards". I guess 5 years in the employ of that shower of shit must seem like an eternity.
ReplyDeleteHistorical note: HMPPS was created by the Tory Pork & Cheesemonger in 2017. Its predecessor, NOMS, was created in 2004.
Contrast that with those who had 25+ years' service as probation employees but who found themselves being cast aside, severance monies reduced by up to 60% and not even a thank you.
I got a long service award on the trust. Bloody tuppence tacky crap clock and the most pathetic certificate printed off a word template. It reflects the shit nature of poor quality board members rubbish notions. Crap chief officer and team. It was rubbish leadership and still is just worse . No real talent.
DeleteAnyone who took less than published in the agreement agreed their reduction. Stop bleating. I know many who fought the employers and the risk to legal scared Napo they are useless but it made the employers pay up. Too many bargain bucket non members hurried into hasty fast buck deals. They lost their pensions in the process. They will be skint now. Some of us me included received the full benefit. Because we fought for it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletehttps://www-gazettelive-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/probation-worker-who-absent-11-23873439.amp?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16518282163769&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gazettelive.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fteesside-news%2Fprobation-worker-who-absent-11-23873439
Delete“She then called in absent long term in May 2019, the employment tribunal report states: "On May 23 the claimant reported at work at 7.30am to prepare for a parole hearing. The claimant described how she became unwell with a severe stress headache, was not able to concentrate and became very anxious”
DeleteNo matter who was right or wrong, probation staff need to stop coming in excessively early and leaving excessively late.
This worker may have been showing diligence, however this meant nothing when they were dismissed.
I recently read the following which made me think about probation work.
A worker started a new job and on the first day was asked to swim the channel. Despite being a novice swimmer they agreed and completed the task.
On the second day they was asked to complete the same task but to carry a small rock. They completed the task, but got home late.
On the third day, same task with a bigger rock. They completed the task, but got home late with little time to recuperate.
Fourth day, same task with a huge rock. They drowned because the rock was too heavy and they were too tired.
On the fifth day the vacant position was filled by a new worker, whom was asked to swim the channel.
Sorry Dino7 felt s/he had to remove their comment. It is undeniably true that many staff were put under wholly inappropriate, unreasonable & likely unlawful pressure to accept the reduced severances - some were threatened directly by CRC managers. Its also true that NAPO nationally were silent & wholly useless, and that some small pockets of resistance did exist where, contrary to national NAPO, they fought hard, held out & won through.
DeleteIts a shame that some of those who stood firm regard others as 'less than'. Well done you for being in a position to fight hard, but show some compassion & understanding for those who were left in no position to fight, who were bullied into submission or who were terrorised by threats from senior CRC managers.
I don't see it as 'bleating' - I see it as continuing to highlight a very serious wrong that was inflicted by the government upon hundreds of probation employees via their proxy agents, the CRCs. It was all costed & cash provided for it. After the govt did its worst, the CRCs just took the piss.
exactly, and those that dared to raise heads above parapets were pilloried and bullied by so called senior leader team.
DeleteI've just seen this in the Guardian . It makes me think that there was plenty of money being doled out on probation contracts to give everyone everything that was originally agreed.
ReplyDeleteIt's just disgraceful.
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/06/prison-firm-made-pounds-11m-year-ofsted-raised-alarm-about-safety-youth-jail-rainsbrook?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16518690614170&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2022%2Fmay%2F06%2Fprison-firm-made-pounds-11m-year-ofsted-raised-alarm-about-safety-youth-jail-rainsbrook
'Getafix
"A private prison company that ran an “inadequate” youth jail made £11m in the same year inspectors raised serious safety concerns about the welfare of children, some of whom were locked up alone for more than 23 hours a day.
DeleteSoaring profits, described as “tragic” by Labour, were disclosed in accounts filed by the US-owned Management & Training Corporation (MTC), which was awarded a £50m contract from the Ministry of Justice in 2016 to run the Rainsbrook secure training centre in Warwickshire.
Profits jumped from less than £1m to £11m in 2020, the year before its contract with the MoJ was terminated 17 months early after a string of damning reports by Ofsted inspectors."
BUT HERE'S THE KILLER LINE:
"MTC said most of its profit came from its probation services in London and Thames Valley, not Rainsbrook."
So after all of their whingeing & complaining & demanding & bullying, they ***were*** making shitloads of profit out of overworked/underpaid staff + short-changing the client group of meaningful services.
Crime DOES pay.
https://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/20122757.letter-priti-patels-keighley-visit-somewhat-galling/
DeletePRITI Patel’s recent visit to Keighley to supposedly support much-needed anti-crime initiatives is somewhat galling given her party’s past failings in this area.
DeleteLet’s start with past cuts to frontline policing. Then a disastrous decision to privatise two thirds of the probation service which resulted in a humiliating reversal. Then conclude with the shambles overseen by the Home Secretary that saw Ukrainian refugees struggling to receive visas despite thousands of UK citizens offering a home. What is rarely acknowledged in the media is that the visa fiasco is the result of yet another private contract, awarded this time to French company TLS.
As far back as November 2021, David Neal (Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration) warned Ms Patel that TLS’ relentless profit drive risked “repetitional damage” to the UK. In the absence of any adequately staffed centres, Ukrainian refugees had to resort to paying TLS for “additional services”, whilst we saw other countries welcome them with open arms.
Now we are led to believe that the answer to the complexities of the cross-Channel migrants is to relocate them at taxpayers’ expense to a country with an appalling human rights record. In the event of any future return visits I hope Robbie Moore will be a bit more sensitive to the feelings of people of Ukrainian descent and their supporters and demand some explanations for Ms Patel’s failings.
Richard Edwards, Steeton
"The Secretary of State’s officials who gave evidence were a prison psychologist, a prison-based and a community probation officer and an officer from a new specialised probation dept, the National Security Division (responsible for supervising her in the community)."
ReplyDeleteFrom chirping by Andrew Sperling:
https://twitter.com/AndrewSperling/status/1522474756951482368
National Security Division.
DeleteCompany: Ministry of Justice
Job description: The National Probation Service is creating a specialist, dedicated and highly skilled National Security Division to supervise high profile offenders in the community. The National Security Division will be based across 5 geographical units
Want to know more?
The Probation Response to Managing the Threat from Terrorism - Tue 10 May 2022
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM BST
Online, MS Teams
Presentation delivered by the National Security Division and Joint Extremism Unit to discuss recent significant developments in the Probation response to managing cases convicted of Terrorism offences and those cases for whom there are concerns in relation to engagement in Terrorism. It will also cover what we have learnt in terms of understanding this cohort and how to engage with them and how best to manage the risk that they present.
This event is open to staff who work in the Criminal Justice System only. Please register with your work email address. You will be asked to confirm your role and organisation at checkout. We may need to ask you to provide additional verification.
This is an online event, taking place on MS Teams. Please check in advance that you can access this platform. You may be required to use a personal device.
https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-13/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/3/opp/36607-36607-Senior-Probation-Officer-NPS-National-Security-Division/en-GB
Delete36607 - Senior Probation Officer - NPS National Security Division
Salary: £36,084 - £41,020
Number of jobs available: 10
Detail of reserve list: 12 Months
Region: East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, National
The National Probation Service is creating a specialist, dedicated and highly skilled National Security Division, which will provide an enhanced level of management and intervention for the most high-risk, complex and high-profile offenders in the community.
The National Security Division will be based across 5 geographical units covering North of England, the Midlands, Wales and the South West and 2 units covering London and the South East. Each unit will have operational satellite locations. Locations of the units are to be finalised but are likely to be based in London (x2), Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham. The units will be responsible for the management of national security cases outside of the NPS regional structures. Each unit will be managed by a Head of Operational Function working to the Deputy Director of NPS Critical Public Protection Operations. Specialist staff will deliver an enhanced set of national standards to the management of terrorist offenders, serious organised criminals and other critical public protection cases.
Note: "The units will be responsible for the management of national security cases outside of the NPS regional structures." & "Specialist staff will deliver an enhanced set of national standards"
Does anyone see any enhanced, specialist salary? Or training? Or is this just another chums' route to senior management?
No thanks. You’ll be on the news when it all goes wrong.
Deletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58097955.amp
“Rajiv Menon, representing Amman's family, said to Carina Heckroodt, of the Probation Service: "Your failure to recall him was a most serious missed opportunity in this case.
Ms Heckroodt attended the Joint Operational Team (JOT) meeting on 9 January. In a witness statement read to the jury, she said: "During this JOT, the police said that Amman was a high threat and that an attack would be when, not if."