tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post1700468944607478179..comments2024-03-28T23:10:52.046+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: Divide and RuleJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-83102007556655117482017-11-28T22:27:54.291+00:002017-11-28T22:27:54.291+00:0013:49 Seeing as you seem to know what the truth is...13:49 Seeing as you seem to know what the truth is, why not tell us all?Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-73323211542569641132017-11-28T21:45:55.373+00:002017-11-28T21:45:55.373+00:0013:49 Plain wrong you don't have obvious acces...13:49 Plain wrong you don't have obvious access to the proper details so please try not to make these erroneous statements.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-74607755077367754042017-11-28T21:20:11.646+00:002017-11-28T21:20:11.646+00:00SFO enquiries should not be done im house. This is...SFO enquiries should not be done im house. This is scandalous. How many cover ups have their been?.They need to be done by an independant body with no link to CRC or NPS. Shocking that this is being allowed. Do the victims / their families know?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-4322615504408549932017-11-28T21:16:20.539+00:002017-11-28T21:16:20.539+00:00Problem is, those with a Criminology degree.Probat...Problem is, those with a Criminology degree.Probation is the go to job for the money initially. More than all the other CJS jobs to begin with.But then twenty years plus to get the top whack,as opposed to the Police which can be done in 5-7 years. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-45490954626822634242017-11-28T21:12:37.016+00:002017-11-28T21:12:37.016+00:00They will never be short of Pquippers, not when th...They will never be short of Pquippers, not when they can leave Uni with no life experience often,and earn nearly 30K within 15 months off the bat.Just 3 k less than I with 12 years post qualification experience. My wife is a nurse and when she qualified she had to be on probation for 2 years at a measly 20k.After 2 years they paid her full whack.Should do the same with newly qualifieds if you ask me and reward the long stayers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-3304698410027964802017-11-28T13:49:03.708+00:002017-11-28T13:49:03.708+00:00I dont know why anyone thinks the GS or any of the...I dont know why anyone thinks the GS or any of the Officers or Officials get hand-outs when their tenure expire. When the GS comes to the end of his contract next year thats it-there is no golden hand-shake. The previous GS wasnt for going so was "bought out" via a settlement otherwise the Union would have been dragged through potentially a couple of yrs going through disciplinary proceedings and him still being entitled to pay I understand and a temp GS in place whilst other suspended (ie the cheaper option). Officials woud only otherwise be entitled to redundancy payments if Union sought end to their contracts. Officers are paid for by their employers ie NPS or CRC. No extra payments at dnd of tenure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-82134669731751637552017-11-28T12:02:20.757+00:002017-11-28T12:02:20.757+00:00Grenfell: Union 'shocked' by Sky News find...Grenfell: Union 'shocked' by Sky News findings<br /><br />The Fire Brigades Union is calling for commercial interests to be removed from fire safety regulation in the wake of a Sky News investigation into the use of plastic insulation in Britain's buildings.<br /><br />FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said he was shocked by the findings and insisted private profit should have no role in public safety.<br /><br />The deaths of 71 people in Grenfell Tower were a defining tragedy in 21st century Britain. That so many people could lose their lives in one block of newly renovated council flats shocked the entire country - shock that turned to anger when it became clear that the fire had spread up a thick layer of external plastic foam insulation covered in plastic-filled panels.<br /><br />The disaster was also a wake-up call; a deadly warning that something has to be seriously wrong with fire safety regulation and enforcement in Britain. If so many people could die in Grenfell Tower, how can anyone be certain that their own home, school, hospital or workplace is safe?<br /><br />Our investigation, conducted over the past four months and published on Monday, has attempted to answer that question, and exposed the disturbing issues that left Mr Wrack so horrified.<br /><br />Even before the first bodies had been removed from Grenfell Tower, senior figures in the fire safety sector began revealing a number of uncomfortable truths: they knew plastic insulation was storing up problems; they had suspected a disaster would happen; and many of them had been telling the Government for years that the building regulation and control system was not fit for purpose.<br /><br />And some went further; claiming that elements of the plastics industry were not only helping to write the rules that require more insulation to be fitted to buildings, but were also trying to silence people who questioned whether plastic insulation was safe.<br /><br />Time after time we were told the plastic insulation industry was highly litigious, that speaking out about its fire safety was impossible, and that while the story should be told, no-one would go on camera. Eventually we found a former government scientist who agreed to talk, on condition of anonymity, about the pressures he faced. He said threats to sue him had made him unwell.<br /><br />"If you've got no [legal] insurance you lose your house," he said. "It was a worrying time and they were quite famous for it - people knew this was the way they reacted." He says he doesn't think the work he did was influenced by the threats, but they had an effect: "I think perhaps more than anything else other people were silenced - by saying 'Oh, you'd better not say anything about that, look what happened to him,'" he told us.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-28774991865093027822017-11-28T11:58:02.442+00:002017-11-28T11:58:02.442+00:00Interserve has won a place on major highway and in...Interserve has won a place on major highway and infrastructure frameworks in Manchester and across the Yorkshire and Humber Region.<br /><br />The framework lots to which Interserve is appointed have a potential value in excess of £500 million. <br /><br />These public sector frameworks provide opportunities to deliver projects for local authorities and other public sector bodies within the North West and Yorkshire.<br /><br />Procured by Manchester City Council, the new flagship framework for the North West will run for four years and cover work for clients across Greater Manchester and the wider region, and will comprise highways works, infrastructure and civil engineering projects.<br /><br />Appointment on the Manchester framework follows on from Interserve winning places on the four-year YORcivil2 Frameworks, which cover a wide range of infrastructure projects including highways, structures and flood alleviation works for local authorities and other regionally based public sector bodies.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-40081542176117556752017-11-28T10:00:25.072+00:002017-11-28T10:00:25.072+00:00I suppose you would against anyone thinking of joi...I suppose you would against anyone thinking of joining the probation service's new training programme, the PQiP? I was thinking of applying, but now I'm not so sure. I assumed the trainees would be working for the NPS, where I thought the conditions would be better than with a CRC, but I don't know if in reality new hires would be farmed out to the CRCs. The whole thing looks like a sinking shipAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-10547442484464712812017-11-27T21:01:16.930+00:002017-11-27T21:01:16.930+00:0020:18 I guess it's true to say that NPS are lu...20:18 I guess it's true to say that NPS are lucky enough to have an office.You're very much mistaken if you think we have a voice. 150 - 175 on the workload management tool, endless parole reports, oral hearings and ARMS assessments, I could go on .... I have the greatest respect for my friends and colleagues that landed up allocated to the CRC, it never was and isn't them and us as far as I'm concerned. We're all in it together.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-36192385303590619552017-11-27T20:36:30.587+00:002017-11-27T20:36:30.587+00:00There are offenders getting minimal supervision ev...There are offenders getting minimal supervision even waiting for BBR. If there are no staff left that is inevitable. Know of many but nothing is done about it! Still waiting for the inspectors to turn up so I can pin them in a corner, tell the line manager to leave and spill the beans. I will not hold back to save someones skin and keep them creaming off the profits.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-57301907509029365852017-11-27T20:29:26.878+00:002017-11-27T20:29:26.878+00:00Speaking of SFO's how many DV cases and MAPPA ...Speaking of SFO's how many DV cases and MAPPA cases are being held by CP Case Managers with no supervision whatsoever. It beggars belief. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-19835246650866622182017-11-27T20:18:34.635+00:002017-11-27T20:18:34.635+00:00Anon 19:32 They deserve to be F"""k...Anon 19:32 They deserve to be F"""ked. <br /><br />I note how NPS are commenting today as their wages are effected. They never normally comment nothing to moan about, at least they still have a voice and an office, on the flip side CRC staff are treated like shit and seem like the ones fighting for the Service, its a shame they didn't have the same amount of anger at the splitting of the Service, things could have been different.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-84897222538087120202017-11-27T20:00:13.245+00:002017-11-27T20:00:13.245+00:00I do agree but have noticed that when one person s...I do agree but have noticed that when one person speaks out it can inspire others to do the same. That said, I will soon depart as you get weary of it over time.I just want to do what I trained do do..I didn't sign up to be a number crunching private sector stooge..manipulating stats whilst ignoring the people we are supposed to be helping ie. Offenders and their potential victims..It is broken and I don't want to be part of it anymore..majority of my colleagues are looking to get out asap. If there is an SFO on your watch they will hang you out to dry..they do not deserve our loyalty ( private owners ) so time to move on..Don't think they will reward you for being a yes person either..they won't. They will milk you dry and move on and send you to the knackers yard when you are exhausted..Be warned!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-12495248597054467832017-11-27T19:52:06.282+00:002017-11-27T19:52:06.282+00:00"Vulnerable Wigan people who fall foul of the..."Vulnerable Wigan people who fall foul of the law were being guaranteed “the right support, in the right place, at the right time,” under a new service launched today.<br /><br />At set points within the criminal justice system – police custody, court, or preparing for release – detainees will be assessed by liaison and diversion staff, and ones affected by mental ill health, homelessness or learning disabilities, will be helped to access support as soon as possible. Greater Manchester is leading the way in this field, and is the only UK area providing a fully integrated health and diversion service.<br /><br />Commissioned by Greater Manchester’s Combined Authority and Health and Social Care Partnership, it aims to divert vulnerable people away from the criminal justice system and into the hands of services better able to tackle the causes of their behaviour.<br /><br />Available to both adult and young offenders, the integrated service aims to support people affected by physical and mental ill health, learning disabilities, debt, homelessness, drug addiction, and PTSD. Providing the detainee has given them consent, staff screen and assess them, sharing relevant information with criminal justice agencies to inform charging and sentencing decisions. They are also helped to access appropriate services, such as mental and physical health care, social care, substance misuse services and safeguarding support.<br /><br />Baroness Beverley Hughes, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “While keeping the public safe is the number one priority, it’s clear that a custody cell or prison is not always the right place for vulnerable people, such as veterans, homeless people, or people with learning disabilities. The criminal justice system doesn’t solve their problems and doesn’t put a stop their behaviour. Too often their actions are directly linked to problems in other areas of their life – a disruption in taking prescribed medication, problems managing debt, alcohol addiction, housing problems. These are the issues that need resolving.”<br /><br /><br />Funny, that. Clearly what I used to do never happened and I am living in a permanent fantasy fugue state... as is Baroness Beverley, who worked as a Probation Officer in Merseyside from 1971–6.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-79446546798782693462017-11-27T19:45:15.234+00:002017-11-27T19:45:15.234+00:00I agree 19.32. But what I have found when I tentat...I agree 19.32. But what I have found when I tentatively stick my neck out is insufficient supports from my colleagues. People are scared and they have forgotten or don't appreciate the power of united actionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-240116264950079402017-11-27T19:34:07.070+00:002017-11-27T19:34:07.070+00:00Its extraordinary that some people are pisspoor at...Its extraordinary that some people are pisspoor at their job yet they remain in post, regardless of (& often oblivious to) the carnage they've created for others to clean up around them. Then, as & when its time to jump or be pushed, they get lottery funding-sized handouts.<br /><br />Meanwhile in both NPS & CRC the consequences of incompetence, indifference & collaboration mean hundreds of dedicated staff have lost their jobs, their entitlement to an enhanced redundancy & in some cases much more, e.g. their physical &/or mental health. And those remaining are feeling pretty fucked over as well.<br /><br />The GS, the Exec, the Officers Group - the whole lot should be thoroughly ashamed of their ineffectual selves. But they're not. Or they'd have walked already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-85882584489595639182017-11-27T19:32:30.970+00:002017-11-27T19:32:30.970+00:00We are all mugs! WTF are we doing? Working ourselv...We are all mugs! WTF are we doing? Working ourselves to death to please the slave masters. Start standing up for ourselves. Refuse to do over yiur hours, miss targets in order to see offenders, complain about poor working conditions, refuse to supervise offenders in booths. Be bolshy and a thorn in their sides because they sure as hell don't give a shite about us. What's the worst thing that can happen? They can't sack us all as they have hardly anyone left anyway. Take out grievances and join a union. Don't stand beneath the crumbling wall trying to hold it up. It is futile. Work to rule. Let it fail. It's inevitable now in most areas. Or leave and do something else. Or leave and do agency work..more control.Fuck em!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-86507513775440196452017-11-27T19:24:19.568+00:002017-11-27T19:24:19.568+00:00They're reinventing probation at the moment. S...They're reinventing probation at the moment. Someone has realised that just inputting data and signing off on outcomes dosent actually achieve anything except for statistics and downtrodden and frustrated employees.<br /><br />https://www.wigantoday.net/news/crime/new-service-aiming-to-help-vulnerable-criminals-1-8879673Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-14820063626890408352017-11-27T19:06:23.247+00:002017-11-27T19:06:23.247+00:00I’ve had enough. I left a good job private sector...I’ve had enough. I left a good job private sector to join Probation that seemed to offer an interesting and worthwhile career. Since The split I was sorted into the CRC and it is extremely badly run compared to private companies I have worked for. They certainly wouldn’t make the top 1000 employers. The fact is I don’t know anyone who would choose to work for a CRC whatever the money. Working for this lot is damaging my career. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-15227601535744351862017-11-27T18:47:44.675+00:002017-11-27T18:47:44.675+00:0018.09 I know just how you feel. Squalid offices, u...18.09 I know just how you feel. Squalid offices, undervalued and impossible to do a decent job anymore. What has happened to CRC upper management? Are they in hiding or taken hostage by the owners? Never hear a peek out of them. The only positive comments I get these days are from service users but expect those to dry up as workload increases. Still..not long before it folds and see what plan b is then. What is the unions stance on that? What happens when CRC's start to fold?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-50029458927266718252017-11-27T18:09:43.426+00:002017-11-27T18:09:43.426+00:00Right now, I feel like I have had enough. Underpai...Right now, I feel like I have had enough. Underpaid and undervalued by senior management, qualified as a PO for 16 years, but will be another 12 till I hit the top of the pay scale (which can't be right)<br /><br />None of the IT works properly, currently at over 150% of capacity and raising as I get more allocations, in a crumbling building with stained walls. <br /><br />Just something from on high to say "yes, we appreciate you" would be welcome. Anything. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-28232886431615248802017-11-27T17:28:19.189+00:002017-11-27T17:28:19.189+00:00We see you have stuck to a script of Roger raho ar...We see you have stuck to a script of Roger raho are doing thisngs properly. We do not agree. Simple facts are they had a protective document and that should have been the first position to argue for members protected entitlements. Not an immediate capitulation. If they run to an election as you seem to suggest then when did their alliance take this form and are they not the stalking horse to which you refer. We have no view or idea on any antipathy to any candidates. It might help if they declared they are not running, to stop fuelling these sorts of unhelpful exchanges and destabilisation of the NAPO leadership. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-74115725165972729202017-11-27T16:20:57.527+00:002017-11-27T16:20:57.527+00:00Profit warnings, redundancies, fiscal commitments ...Profit warnings, redundancies, fiscal commitments not met, share prices plunging, bail out by government for justice services.<br />Deeply worrying times for Interserve?<br />Well not really. Not really at all.<br /><br />http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/interserve-wins-place-on-major-civil-engineering-frameworks/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-77685939600562355122017-11-27T16:12:26.795+00:002017-11-27T16:12:26.795+00:0011:24 your comment is both ill-informed and inaccu...11:24 your comment is both ill-informed and inaccurate. Raho/Rogers realised that the NNC had gone the way of the Dodo months before the penny finally dropped for the majority of members. The agreement with employers had no bite so new agreements needed to be formed otherwise no branch would have any negotiating machinery whatsoever. You make serious allegations that are entirely spurious based on previous inaccurate comments. In my experience Raho/Rogers have always acted transparently putting the issues to London Branch as they saw them and using democratic processes. They have always acted in good faith and have not misled or sought to mislead anyone. It sounds like you hold some kind of personal grudge and are trouble making having perhaps got wind of a Raho/Rogers GS/AGS leadership challenge and are clearly seeking to head this off by smearing both able candidates with false claims of treachery. All you will achieve by this is to allow less able stalking horse leadership bids to succeed and in so doing doom Napo to continued insignificance rather than putting a smart leadership team at the top table who might be able to make the reforms necessary to get something done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com