tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post366858685320238458..comments2024-03-19T06:53:39.333+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: NPS Definitely Not the Answer!Jim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-46232650250727384122018-02-27T16:01:17.677+00:002018-02-27T16:01:17.677+00:00From Huff Post article highlighted by getafix:
P...From Huff Post article highlighted by getafix:<br /><br /><br />Prisons Minister Rory Stewart admitted: “The changes we made to CRC contracts did not require the provision of additional services or staff.” <br /><br />The MoJ said CRCs “are falling short of our vision for a high-quality system” but said their contracts already require them to maintain staff at a “sufficient” level. <br /><br />In a separate PQ, however, the MoJ admitted none of the contracts specify maintaining staff at any “particular level”. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-26601063149502176802018-02-27T15:59:38.959+00:002018-02-27T15:59:38.959+00:00ellie reeves' preview of the debate she has se...ellie reeves' preview of the debate she has secured<br /><br />Today I am leading a Westminster Hall debate on the future of probation services; an issue which highlights many of the problems caused by ill-judged privatisation within our justice system.<br /><br />The separation of probation services in 2014 and the formation of the public National Probation Service and the outsourced Community Rehabilitation Schemes (CRCs) caused alarm at the time with individuals highlighting the potential for organisational difficulties and negative impacts on rehabilitation work. Three and a half years later, a recent National Audit Office report has shown that CRCs have, on average, met just 8 of the 24 targets set to them by the Ministry of Justice.<br /><br />When a prisoner is in the transition stage at the end of their sentence, they should be given complete and thorough assistance with accommodation, finance and their long-term employment prospects. The ‘Through the Gate’ strategy aims to support offenders through the various stages of their release. However, CRCs have failed time and time again in improving the prospects of those they were set up to help. A 2017 joint report between HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons report dismissed the work almost entirely stating that even if the “services were removed tomorrow, the impact on the resettlement of prisoners would be negligible”.<br /><br />Staff, who were previously employed by the probation services, have since reported that morale is low with many feeling that the work they are doing is inadequate to the work they were doing prior to the 2014 changes. 25% of respondents to a UNISON survey reported that that they only occasionally had the equipment, resources or systems to do their job properly. <br /><br />The failings within these organisations may be repeatedly highlighted but these seem to be continually ignored within the Government, who last July set in motion a series of payments, predicted to amount to £342 million, which have been put in place to bailout CRCs because of misjudged planning on their part. Instead of fining poor performing CRCs or ending their contract early, the Government see it fit to pay them millions more, not least at a time when there are other parts of our justice system in dire need of investment such as our aging prisons and the lack of services within them.<br /><br />Probation is not a box ticking exercise, nor is it a profession that should be solely driven on targets. It should be based on a well-rounded approach centred on the individual and their needs. I firmly believe that this is not possible under the current arrangement of outsourcing probation to those in pursuit of little else other than profit. <br /><br />The system we have appears to be a combination of failures that continue to let down offenders and waste taxpayers’ money. It is time, once and for all, for these failed schemes are brought back under public control so that we can get to the root causes of reoffending and provide rehabilitation services that are fit for purpose.<br /><br />Ellie Reeves is the Labour MP for Lewisham West and PengeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-9832548638001276342018-02-27T15:58:02.938+00:002018-02-27T15:58:02.938+00:00watch ellie reeves' debate here
http://www.pa...watch ellie reeves' debate here<br /><br />http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/1de0c585-6526-48d4-8e03-473ebcf321c2<br /><br />(27/2/18 blog page seems unresponsive to comments)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-6399690202445107302018-02-27T10:22:57.704+00:002018-02-27T10:22:57.704+00:00Hedge funds have increased their bets against trou...Hedge funds have increased their bets against troubled outsourcer Interserve as its shares crashed another 12 per cent amid concerns it was struggling to raise cash from lenders.<br /><br />The FTSE 250 contractor's shares reached a record low of 57p last night as fears grew about its financial strength after two profit warnings and the collapse of rival Carillion.<br /><br />In recent days, four hedge funds have increased their stakes in Interserve, with 7.52 per cent of its stock now shorted – meaning that investors are betting its share price will fall even further.<br /><br />Carillion had 14 per cent of its stock shorted when it collapsed last month.<br /><br />Those with large holdings of shorted Interserve stock include Squarepoint Ops and Oxford Asset Management. <br /><br />Hedge fund Marshall Wace, which made a killing correctly predicting Carillion's demise, now has a short position of nearly 2 per cent in Interserve, according to latest records.<br /><br />Interserve, which employs 80,000 people, including 25,000 in the UK, has had more than 75 per cent wiped off its value in the past six months.<br /><br />Management yesterday attempted to halt the share price slide, rejecting reports of problems with the banks and comparisons with Carillion.<br /><br />It was not enough, however, with shares slumping another 12 per cent to just 57p by the close.<br /><br />Interserve, which provides security, probation, healthcare and construction services, cleans the London Underground and manages army barracks, has been in trouble since a profit warning in September. <br /><br /><br /><br />It issued a second profit warning in October, when it also warned it could breach loan conditions for December, and opened discussions with lenders. <br /><br />Debt is expected to top £500million. Chief executive, Adrian Ringrose, 50, and finance boss, Tim Haywood, 53, quit last year as troubles mounted, with Debbie White, 56, stepping in as chief executive.<br /><br />Things appeared to be improving on January 10 when the firm said it expected 2018 profit to be ahead of expectations. <br /><br />But the share price was hammered when Carillion collapsed days later, and on January 17 the Financial Times published a report saying Cabinet officials were monitoring Interserve due to concerns over its financial health.<br /><br />Reports then emerged earlier this month the Government had hired accountancy firm Deloitte to advise on public sector contracts held by Interserve. <br /><br />This weekend, the Sunday Telegraph claimed Interserve was struggling to put together debt refinancing to replace a £180million credit line due to run out at the end of March. <br /><br />Interserve's banks include Lloyds, RBS, Barclays and HSBC – all of which are thought to have lost heavily from Carillion.<br /><br />Yesterday the firm's bosses said: 'We do not in any way recognise the assertion that our discussions with lenders on long-term financing have stumbled. We remain confident of reaching a positive outcome.'<br /><br />A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'We monitor the financial health of all of our strategic suppliers, including Interserve. We do not believe that any of our strategic suppliers are in a comparable position to Carillion.'Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49651921754138810612018-02-27T09:09:26.230+00:002018-02-27T09:09:26.230+00:0001:19, my point being they will never allow us to ...01:19, my point being they will never allow us to be stand alone. The PCC would appoint some form of probation board and separate out that responsibility from police. We work with police anyway but maintaining that separation of responsibility. We will never return to an advise, befriend and assist service. <br />What we do is far to politicised now , and we need to be savvy. Get back to local delivery and local accountability.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-45396483519204659712018-02-27T08:49:59.380+00:002018-02-27T08:49:59.380+00:00Looks like the smart money is going on Interserve ...Looks like the smart money is going on Interserve to go.<br /><br />http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-5437559/Now-hedge-funds-target-Interserve-shares-slump-12.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-66269478481157704802018-02-27T06:34:38.469+00:002018-02-27T06:34:38.469+00:00On another note - LDU heads in the NPS are now thr...On another note - LDU heads in the NPS are now throwing around the term ‘Responsible Officer’ like bags of sweets.....you can tell they are desperate for staff to use the term RO as opposed to PO/OM and/or practitioner! Another MOJ directive they all dance to! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49359935030094207622018-02-27T01:32:28.687+00:002018-02-27T01:32:28.687+00:00We can’t only blame the Tories!
The service – whi...We can’t only blame the Tories!<br /><br />The service – which for a century was the envy of other countries because of its rehabilitative success, but whose ethos now begins with punishment – was better off when it was an operational service with its own professional head. It is time that this ill-thought through venture was ended or, not only will there be more similar cases, but there will be no one left in the probation service to manage them.<br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/jun/09/probation-service-bureaucracy-sonnex-scottAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-54012795046097292672018-02-27T01:21:32.080+00:002018-02-27T01:21:32.080+00:00Act of vandalism based on ideology
The plans anno...Act of vandalism based on ideology<br /><br />The plans announced by justice secretary Chris Grayling are concerning (Private firms to take over bulk of the probation service, 9 January). Although high-risk cases would remain in the public sector, medium to low risk of harm cases can include violence against a person, child protection issues and domestic violence cases. This group also includes offenders at high risk of reoffending, such as prolific burglars, chaotic drug users and gang members. These are all complex and potentially dangerous individuals who require professional expertise in their management which the probation service possesses.<br /><br />As around a quarter of all offenders' risk changes during the course of their sentence, there will be a significant movement of cases between the public sector and new providers, increasing the number of handovers while reducing clear accountability. The Probation Chiefs Association has significant concerns that this, combined with the pace with which the government intends to implement these reforms, could end up compromising public safety.<br /><br />Sarah Billiald<br />Probation Chiefs AssociationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-17675206831987330162018-02-27T01:19:54.689+00:002018-02-27T01:19:54.689+00:00Probation under PCC’s would be just as bad. Terrib...Probation under PCC’s would be just as bad. Terrible idea, PCC’s are a mixed bag we’d move from being aligned to prisons to being aligned to the police, frying pan to fire. HMIP is suspect too, employs ex-CRC chief officers and foes sessional work for the Tories. And don’t think managers didn’t fix the sifting in some places. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-46270280060021599792018-02-27T01:13:09.572+00:002018-02-27T01:13:09.572+00:00Anon 15:29. It irks me that so many of those chief...Anon 15:29. It irks me that so many of those chief officers received huge payouts and Queens honours for facilitating the shafting of probation and staff. <br /><br />Heather Munro stitched up London Probation Trust, sold off Community Payback before TR and kept quiet about all the problems it’d caused. No surprise she received the biggest payout of all. Took retirement on the eve of the split and hasn’t been heard much of since. <br /><br />Tessa Webb stitched up Herts Probation Trust, sold off employment services before TR, kept quiet about the problems. Shortly after becoming head of BeNCH CRC, retired and walked away with a huge payout and staff got jack. Now she’s a HMIP inspector. Hadn’t done the job for 20 years, looked down her nose from her ivory tower, then boom she’s back telling everyone how to do their job. It’s Pathetic!<br /><br />Sarah Billiald did right by Kent Probation Trust. She wasn’t even probation trained but had more credibility than the rest of them. Saw her on the news a few times before Grayling silenced her. She publicly called TR “Act of vandalism based on ideology”. The only probation chief to speak out without holding back the small print.<br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/09/act-vandalism-based-ideologyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-10971811850981325982018-02-27T01:11:25.724+00:002018-02-27T01:11:25.724+00:00It irks me that so many of those chief officers re...It irks me that so many of those chief officers received huge payouts and Queens honours for facilitating the shafting of probation and staff. <br /><br />Heather Munro stitched up London Probation Trust, sold off Community Payback before TR and kept quiet about all the problems it’d caused. No surprise she received the biggest payout of all. Took retirement on the eve of the split and hasn’t been heard much of since. <br /><br />Tessa Webb stitched up Herts Probation Trust, sold off employment services before TR, kept quiet about the problems. Shortly after becoming head of BeNCH CRC, retired and walked away with a huge payout and staff got jack. Now she’s a HMIP inspector. Hadn’t done the job for 20 years, looked down her nose from her ivory tower, then boom she’s back telling everyone how to do their job. It’s Pathetic!<br /><br />Sarah Billiald did right by Kent Probation Trust. She wasn’t even probation trained but had more credibility than the rest of them. Saw her on the news a few times before Grayling silenced her. She publicly called TR “Act of vandalism based on ideology”. The only probation chief to speak out without holding back the small print.<br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/09/act-vandalism-based-ideologyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-91620449534537591292018-02-27T00:10:52.846+00:002018-02-27T00:10:52.846+00:00Clearly we can’t go back as too much needs to be u...Clearly we can’t go back as too much needs to be undone without causing another crash. The answer is devolve all responsibility of probation services to PCCs. The PCC is answerable to parliament and their communities. They appoint a chief and the chief appoints the senior team. Local delivery of probation fit for their community. If your PCC hangs their political colours to a Tory mast the community gets the service they voted for. No need for HMPPS, they can drop the silent ‘P’ and look after the prison estate which can be the civil servant club.<br />How to Find the lost soul of NPSand CRC staff...... well go back to an obscure date in mid November 2013. Remember comrades, the arbitary date set by MoJ. The musical chairs music stopped on that date. Whatever chair you sat on decided if you exit stage left or stage right. Nothing to do with the cream went to NPS and the rest went the other way. What ever cases you held determined the sift. Regardless of your previous experience and expertise, whether you were on long term sick or mertinity leave you had to fight for your spot... a few fights along the way but you either got shafted royally or just plain-shafted dependant on your view point.<br />Now our Dame Glynis is a master of poking the stick at the CRCs, rightly so, we deserve it.. but she is using an inspection model that is in direct contradiction to the CRC contracts. She critises for not having rehabilitation measures in UPW, but HMPSS tell CRCs that it is a punitive sanction only and that’s what they must deliver. chief cook and bottle washer Ian Mulholand of interserve tells staff on his phone in on 23 Jan , we get paid for delivering the requirement as a punishment , no more than 2 Acceptable absences in the life of the requirement. Return to court quickly with breach. That is what interserve is paid for and that is what we will deliver, no if’s buts.....<br />The UPW requirement in all its guises has bedevilled Probation since 1972...no one really held boards or trusts to account for that failure but now they beat us to death with that stick.. 40 odd years of entrenched belief that it was not the front of house sentence it has now been elevated to.<br />UPW the public and politicians get... programme and interventions don’t sell.<br />Getafix was right when he said we are a monitoring and enforcement agency .. that comment I suspect was levelled at both NPS and CRC... good PO’s and PSOs went to the CRC.. both sides have bad ones as well so dial down the carping.. let’s not engage in a pissing contest here . TR was bad for all.<br />We are not civil servants nor privatised tick box merchants, we are practitioners of probation.. find the soul, it will take time but it’s there... believe me this madness will end and we need to be ready......<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-87580686163180069042018-02-26T22:43:08.881+00:002018-02-26T22:43:08.881+00:00... especially as Napo are so silent.... especially as Napo are so silent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-73870588973270597122018-02-26T22:24:36.825+00:002018-02-26T22:24:36.825+00:00But Chris, I thought you were more interested in p...But Chris, I thought you were more interested in playing with cars & trains now?<br /><br />I think its useful to have the lies, the cheating & the whole corrupt process kept in public view. Many of these excerpts are buried in pages & pages of Hansard, so for someone to take the time to allow them to become visible via this blog is much appreciated. Many other political scams are often allowed to die away but this blog is keeping the misleading words & actions alive. I have no doubt that the JSC have been influenced & informed by such dedication to truth. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-59357985730470627422018-02-26T22:04:21.311+00:002018-02-26T22:04:21.311+00:00 Not much has changed from the 2014 implementatio... Not much has changed from the 2014 implementation of Chris Grayling’s rehabilitation revolution to Sonia Crozier’s 2018 appalling probation apology on ITV. Since being forced into the NPS I’ve learnt 3 things during these 4 years of hell at work;<br /><br />1. That the NPS and CRC’s are as bad as each other, two sides of the same dirty coin. <br /><br />2. That being a third-rate ‘civil servant’ basically means taking it in the rear by the Ministry of Justice, and saying thank you when it hurts. <br /><br />3. Probation doesn’t do any of what it says on the tin. If you are willing to lie about this to staff and clients alike, and if you are crap with clients, you get promoted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-88440861216301613632018-02-26T20:32:39.938+00:002018-02-26T20:32:39.938+00:00What is the point in rehashing stuff we already kn...What is the point in rehashing stuff we already know and already exists in public record and is only obliquely related to the blog post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-8995654575491902942018-02-26T20:25:12.676+00:002018-02-26T20:25:12.676+00:00As per anon at 16.13, Sonia Crozier's performa...As per anon at 16.13, Sonia Crozier's performance at the Justice Committee and in tv interview with Suzanne Reid(repeated tonight I think)was appalling on both occasions; very lacklustre at Justice Committee and like a terrified rabbit caught in glare of car headlights with Suzanne Reid. Bizarre to apologize for shortcomings of VL set-up when the main area of identified concern (the concept of "eligible" victims who are only ones offered opportunity to opt into VL contact) is not the creation or choice of Probation Servce but whatever MoJ/Noms/ CJS bods that devised that system. I thought the only issues Dame Glenys Stacey picked up on were poor style of letter writing and a gap in annual contact over a yr or possibly 2 until resumed again. I understand the Inspector considered that the VLOs had gone over and above to try and get victim views prior to the OH. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-90409306270807159022018-02-26T20:07:22.573+00:002018-02-26T20:07:22.573+00:00Me too Me too Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-38211621149876238972018-02-26T20:06:04.802+00:002018-02-26T20:06:04.802+00:00great blog today. Regularly grimace at gulf betwee...great blog today. Regularly grimace at gulf between real civility plus dedicated professional staff (whether in CRC or NPS) and civil-servant types/tickboxers/bureaucratic/ stepforditis-afflicted colleagues again discernable across the divideAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-78788105223633003832018-02-26T19:14:15.366+00:002018-02-26T19:14:15.366+00:00Perfectly summed up Perfectly summed up Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-85662538214472049082018-02-26T18:54:02.822+00:002018-02-26T18:54:02.822+00:00‘There will then be an introductory address by the...‘There will then be an introductory address by the Big Boss. This will focus on strategy, ideally containing little or no actual substance. ‘<br />Jim, this is a malicious and misleading comment. My boss was nowhere near the cabinet meeting.<br />He was seen in a Northern city drafting one of his famous memos.<br />You know who you are, take a bow!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49725896443348256562018-02-26T18:26:15.135+00:002018-02-26T18:26:15.135+00:00I hate being a Civil Servant. My soul is crushed.I hate being a Civil Servant. My soul is crushed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-50965950346649709252018-02-26T18:25:28.832+00:002018-02-26T18:25:28.832+00:00We all get a couple of quid. God Bless the Queen.T...We all get a couple of quid. God Bless the Queen.The world'alright we me. <br />Wish you were here, but you're not.<br />Thanks for the service.<br />C U yaaaaalllllll soon... . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-16667778145263852012018-02-26T18:23:08.559+00:002018-02-26T18:23:08.559+00:00Interserve shares down to 57p. It's not looki...Interserve shares down to 57p. It's not looking positive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com