tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post4921224309517620296..comments2024-03-28T23:10:52.046+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: News RoundupJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-1121366676262592382016-04-25T20:37:59.658+01:002016-04-25T20:37:59.658+01:00New PSR 'short report' template = worst re...New PSR 'short report' template = worst report template I've ever seen. Whoever designed and endorsed it has never completed a Pre Sentence Report. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-5584679802879035822015-12-09T22:09:37.169+00:002015-12-09T22:09:37.169+00:00And not just in probation mind. Let's not forg...And not just in probation mind. Let's not forget the power hungry hierarchical nut jobs at the MoJ, at NOMS, at the Parole Board and elsewhere. They have all been pushing for years to get probation under the thumb, and that's where we well and truly are. Not because of the PO's and SPO's but due to the probation senior management that eroded our values over the past 20 years and turned us into tick-box junkies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-55652042135356182792015-11-10T00:23:18.861+00:002015-11-10T00:23:18.861+00:00I don't normally post at this time of night bu...I don't normally post at this time of night but I'm just catching up with 'Last week: Tonight' and to get parole in Pennsylvania, John Oliver has just revealed, you have to pay 60 dollars up front to get it!. What's more, he has a prisoner describing how he sold drugs in jail, to make sure he did!. Not usually a user or exclamation marks but satire sometimes is inadequate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-61963049610531396182015-11-09T23:49:53.153+00:002015-11-09T23:49:53.153+00:00I understand that Labour's Jack Dromie nicked ...I understand that Labour's Jack Dromie nicked the "omnishambles" phrase in HoC today, applying it to the police funding farce.<br /><br />We're edging ever closer to this blog receiving an explicit namecheck in either House.<br /><br />Good on ya, JB.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-62385967697990599902015-11-09T22:07:37.492+00:002015-11-09T22:07:37.492+00:00Wonder how many others have Googled that - a kan...Wonder how many others have Googled that - a kangaroo court or waltzing matilda? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-7192136106477333732015-11-09T17:29:25.488+00:002015-11-09T17:29:25.488+00:00'Significant support'.??.'morale maint...'Significant support'.??.'morale maintained'?....Oh.. I must have missed that then...<br /><br />Research, (What Works/Desistance etc ) has emphasised time and time again the importance of a good quality central relationship between supervisor and supervisee when it comes to helping people to turn their lives around when they are ready to. The opportunities for this to happen have now been vastly reduced-due to workloads or a management/government who never understood the theories and believe anyone can do this type of work, (and there are a lot of 'anyones' who really think they can have a bash at it and will do a lot of damage in the process) Probation has been diluted. Police (PP units in our area)also diluted, magistrates courts closed. All this against a background of insufficient suitable housing, benefit sanctions, cuts and delays. So called 're-offending rates' may appear to drop but we all know in our heart of hearts that there will be more victims as a consequence of TR. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-70773572548661789532015-11-09T14:19:13.664+00:002015-11-09T14:19:13.664+00:00My written submission to the MoJ inquiry into the ...My written submission to the MoJ inquiry into the magistracy is: "itaque spe celerius iudicium praeiudicatum quo". My Latin is very rusty - to the point of collapse - but hopefully the point is made. Presumably Macropus fuliginosus will be in the Chair? It'll be win-win-win all the way for Murdoch!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-29264429023223067082015-11-09T12:24:25.886+00:002015-11-09T12:24:25.886+00:00Anyone recently read HG Wells' "The Time ...Anyone recently read HG Wells' "The Time Machine"?<br /><br />Chapter One - Following the establishment of the new NPS Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:<br /><br />"What measures they are taking to improve the morale, staffing and funding of the probation service; and whether this would be cost-effective in relation to criminal justice as a whole.<br />Hansard source<br />(Citation: HL Deb, 12 February 2003, c118W)<br /><br />Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Minister of State replied: <br /><br />"The National Probation Service has developed through consultation a people management strategy entitled Achieving Through People. The strategy was launched last September and covers the period 2002–07.<br /><br />Achieving Through People aims to support the business strategy of the National Probation Service which focuses on improved performance and service delivery and nurturing of the service's staff.<br /><br />There are five themes to the strategy: (a) leadership and management development; (b) training and development; (c) HR policy and practice; (d) workforce planning pay and reward; and (e) developing the practice of people management.<br /><br />The strategy has been well received both within, by management and unions, and without the National Probation Service.<br /><br />A copy of Achieving Through People has been placed in the Library."<br />..............................................................................................................<br /><br />Chapter Two - Following the establishment of the 'new' NPS, this from Jamie Reed: "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on morale amongst staff of recent reforms to the Probation Service."<br /><br />Andrew Selous Answered on: 14 September 2015<br />"We recognise that this has been a time of great change for probation staff and we have worked hard to ensure the probation workforce is effectively engaged and morale maintained. Staff in the National Probation Service (NPS) and Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) were provided with significant support both during and after the transition to the new probation structures. CRCs are now responsible for the welfare of the staff they employ, and we are monitoring the system closely through a robust contract management process, to ensure that performance levels are maintained."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-78901319054014390272015-11-09T11:47:07.672+00:002015-11-09T11:47:07.672+00:00Lets not forget the ConDems changed the rules for ...Lets not forget the ConDems changed the rules for collating reoffending rates:<br /><br />"The Ministry of Justice launched a statistical consultation on improvements to the transparency and accessibility of our information in 2010 and a response to the consultation was published in March 2011.<br /> <br />The underlying principle of measuring re-offending (or recidivism, which is the most commonly used term internationally) is that someone who has received some form of criminal justice sanction (such as a conviction or a caution) goes on to commit another offence within a set time period. <br /> <br />Measuring true re-offending is difficult. Official records are taken from either the police or courts, but they will underestimate the true level of re-offending because only a proportion of crime is detected and sanctioned and not all crimes and sanctions are recorded on one central system. Other methods of measuring re-offending, such as self report studies, are likely to be unreliable.<br /> <br />Following the Ministry of Justice consultation on Improvements to Ministry of<br />Justice Statistics (2010), a proven re-offence is defined as any offence committed in a one year follow-up period and receiving a court conviction, caution, reprimand or warning in the one year follow up or a further six months waiting period. The data source is the extract of the Police National Computer (PNC) held by the Ministry of Justice.<br /> <br />Offences are counted as re-offences if they meet all of the following criteria: <br />· They are recordable…<br />· They were committed in England or Wales. <br />· They are offences that were prosecuted by the police…<br />· Offences are only counted if they are proven through caution (for<br />adults), reprimands or final warnings (for juveniles) and court<br />convictions…<br />· The offence is not a breach offence i.e breach of a court order, since<br />we are only interested in new offences<br /> <br />- A re-offence is counted if the offence occurs within the "Re-offences" period shown. This is within 12 months of entering the cohort.<br />- For a re-offence to be counted it must also be proven within the "Re-offences proven" period shown. This is within 6 months of the re-offence."<br /><br />From MoJ "definitions & measurement" document in Oct 2011Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-15450232544070897202015-11-09T09:04:46.264+00:002015-11-09T09:04:46.264+00:00A corrupt system now underpinned by money profit,...A corrupt system now underpinned by money profit, of course re-offending goes up. No help now just tick boxes and bonuses. In the old days people joined probation to assist fellow humans now it's all about personal power and profit, bean counters and madmen are in control.<br /><br />papaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-46249408164317934372015-11-09T08:58:31.469+00:002015-11-09T08:58:31.469+00:00Since Woolworths closed their doors it seems they&...Since Woolworths closed their doors it seems they've been moonlighting as pick'n'mix statisticians. How do the reoffending figures above work? Is the reoffending rate 25.4%? Or 47%? Or 42.9%? Or 59.3%? Or 8.1%?<br /><br />Looks like the market's open to some creative accountancy by the well-paid bean counters in the CRCs, allowing them the opportunity to show the most impressive turnaround in reoffending rates ever. Do not fear, CRC shareholders, your windfalls are guaranteed. Mr Grayling made sure of that when he committed £Hundreds-of-Millions of public funds for your benefit & signed off the blank cheques, aka CRC contracts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-3361718989248501482015-11-09T08:39:47.762+00:002015-11-09T08:39:47.762+00:00Yes. A few weeks ago the MoJ published the first s...Yes. A few weeks ago the MoJ published the first set of performance figures for each of the criteria in all 21 CRC contracts.<br /><br />If you genuinely cared about your CRC, I'm sure you would already know this... I expect your manager to dock your pay accordingly!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-58155774941348160492015-11-09T08:30:59.023+00:002015-11-09T08:30:59.023+00:00Before we all get 'blown away' by Gove, he...Before we all get 'blown away' by Gove, he is weak on fundamental human rights.<br /><br />http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/08/michael-gove-europe-british-bill-rights-human-rights-act<br /><br /><br />Netnippernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-4384429141682398332015-11-08T21:31:02.656+00:002015-11-08T21:31:02.656+00:00Why is Ian Lawrence still GS of NAPO? A man of int...Why is Ian Lawrence still GS of NAPO? A man of integrity would have long since fallen on his sword. I suppose he wants to see the job through and be absolutely sure that no effective collective action is taken by members while the CRCs bed in and redundancies bite before he cashes in on whatever deal he made to make sure that we went down without a fight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-30372774568177812972015-11-08T20:09:32.891+00:002015-11-08T20:09:32.891+00:00Are there any league tables on each CRCS performan...Are there any league tables on each CRCS performance? I wanna know if the one I work in is top?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-83134400988712268862015-11-08T16:27:36.746+00:002015-11-08T16:27:36.746+00:00One of the best lessons I ever learned as a PO was...One of the best lessons I ever learned as a PO was that you don't need to challenge everything, because some clients are just out to have an argument with someone - anyone - and the best approach is just to continue to be civil in the face of all the negativity until they just gey tired.<br /><br />Another good lesson to learn was to enjoy my time off work!<br /><br />This post may seem a little off topic once Jim wields his editing pen, for which I can only apologise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49090569714841104742015-11-08T15:01:11.588+00:002015-11-08T15:01:11.588+00:00Presumably though the upward trend is a consequenc...Presumably though the upward trend is a consequence of a number of factors, much of which will be outside the influence of the private companies. Would not the trend make it harder for them to achieve the reductions?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-54556299489804111302015-11-08T08:17:03.343+00:002015-11-08T08:17:03.343+00:00So the CRCs casinos may benefit from a rise in reo...So the CRCs casinos may benefit from a rise in reoffending as 'market forces' determine baselines though perhaps there is some disappointment in the boardrooms that the rates were not higher. <br /><br />Game on! How long before CRCs hedge their positions or Paddy Power opens betting? Given the different categories of reoffending, it's ripe for accumulator betting or Sodexo sweepstakes. Netnippernoreply@blogger.com