tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post210912718321589424..comments2024-03-28T23:10:52.046+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: Every Officer's NightmareJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-64485197219737447062013-04-22T17:01:38.830+01:002013-04-22T17:01:38.830+01:00Pedants Corner again I'm afraid. For age 10 -1...Pedants Corner again I'm afraid. For age 10 -17 years it's Detention during Her Majesty's Pleasure (CYPA 1933 s53(1)) mandatory for murder. Detention for Life (CYPA 1933 s53 (2))maximum for everything else really bad. I'm available for criminal justice themed pub quizes at a reasonable rate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-8119612138669258312013-04-22T16:19:21.401+01:002013-04-22T16:19:21.401+01:00You're quite right! OASys is one of the bigges...You're quite right! OASys is one of the biggest mistakes ever made - it was basically designed for the Prison Service, but foisted upon us by NOMS when we were taken over. It's allowed the myth to develop that risk assessment is scientific - it's not of course and as you say most SFO's are committed by low or medium risk clients. So, G4S and Serco, take note!<br /><br />Thanks for commenting. Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-75367823912445596332013-04-22T15:53:21.952+01:002013-04-22T15:53:21.952+01:00I don't think probation has done enough over t...I don't think probation has done enough over the years to explain the limitations of risk management and in fact there was, with the advent of OASys, a hyperbolic tendency for the service to project itself as expert in risk management. Isn't it the case that the majority of serious further offences – 80% - are committed by those under supervision who are either desiginated – mostly - low or medium risk of harm?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-78770242512482666752013-04-22T08:04:45.110+01:002013-04-22T08:04:45.110+01:00TheUrbaneGorilla,
Very interesting - I didn't...TheUrbaneGorilla,<br /><br />Very interesting - I didn't know that and as you say, what a shame the message didn't get out to the press. Rowing back now is pretty difficult and utterly futile with the present Secretary of State. <br /><br />Thanks for commenting,<br /><br />Jim Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-68792167405768055902013-04-22T08:01:00.896+01:002013-04-22T08:01:00.896+01:00No not at all - I rely on readers to correct my sl...No not at all - I rely on readers to correct my sloppiness! As soon as I wrote that I realised it could be wrong but shamefully didn't take the trouble to check. Had he been aged 17 it would have been Detention at Her Majesty's Pleasure, but as you say, between 18 and 21 it's Custody for Life. <br /><br />Cheers,<br />Jim Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-37164043969610343872013-04-21T22:35:02.114+01:002013-04-21T22:35:02.114+01:00A few years ago, following the Hanson & White ...A few years ago, following the Hanson & White SFO, I and most of the SPOs in England & Wales were summoned to Central Methodist Hall to be addressed by Charles Clarke, the then Home Secretary and other worthies. The first act of this panel was to ask all members of the press to leave. Once the journos had gone the S of S praised Probation's work, fully accepting that risk assessment was an inexact science and that, what ever we did and how ever well we did it, bad things would occasionally happen and would continue to happen. All very nice to hear but I always thought it would have been nicer if the press had been able to stay and hear it too. Which I suppose is the heart of Probation's problem - not having enough iron in its soul to put its voice across.TheUrbaneGorillanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-46588516309352206422013-04-21T22:09:09.922+01:002013-04-21T22:09:09.922+01:00Pedants Corner - if he's 18 I think an indeter...Pedants Corner - if he's 18 I think an indeterminate sentence will be Custody for Life rather than discretionary Life Imprisonment. I really must get out more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-6422948143180954632013-04-19T19:40:30.662+01:002013-04-19T19:40:30.662+01:00Interesting - of course given the serious nature o...Interesting - of course given the serious nature of the allegation, it could have gone to Crown?<br /><br />I wasn't aware youth sex offences are dealt with by a DJ, but then I'm not that surprised and I've never been a CDO in the Youth Court. Thanks for clarifying. Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-45247606095621286802013-04-19T19:22:04.809+01:002013-04-19T19:22:04.809+01:00Just a quick point relating to his earlier sentenc...Just a quick point relating to his earlier sentence as a Youth. If, as I suspect, he had been dealt with at a Youth Court, he would not have been sentenced by youth court magistrates but by a District Judge. Unfortunately justices are not allowed to deal with youths who have committed sex offences such work being reserved for specially trained DJs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-33372729526895102282013-04-19T17:11:55.650+01:002013-04-19T17:11:55.650+01:00That's a good point about SOTP not being suffi...That's a good point about SOTP not being sufficiently available in prison. It could of course be a condition of any licence, but I note a third of the sex offenders at HMP Moorland are in denial and this is not uncommon. As yet, there are no programmes felt suitable for deniers.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-47759941275118990402013-04-19T12:00:49.168+01:002013-04-19T12:00:49.168+01:00Probation excels in the blame. All is predicated o...Probation excels in the blame. All is predicated on perfect world assumptions: how easy to visit case records and OASys assessments and indulge in some second guessing. <br /><br />The false assumption that probation and prisons are teeming with resources, no gaps in services, no lengthy waiting lists. Too much waste on management costs. <br /><br />The prison inspectorate reported on Moorland Prison this week: a third of the population are sex offenders, but there is no sex offender programme – nothing is being done to lower risk. We are slipping back into the dark ages. Thus, one may suppose, those leaving Moorland are likely to be at higher risk of reoffending during their probation supervision. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-72387469465716149822013-04-19T11:05:03.243+01:002013-04-19T11:05:03.243+01:00Thanks for that, but I wasn't sure on the SOTP...Thanks for that, but I wasn't sure on the SOTP position. I agree entirely that the transition from YOT to probation was a factor.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-3992806363051957542013-04-19T09:59:06.040+01:002013-04-19T09:59:06.040+01:00Jim, don't forget he wouldn't be eligible ...Jim, don't forget he wouldn't be eligible for SOTP due to his age. indeed I suspect transition between YOT and probation played a part in this.Programmes POnoreply@blogger.com