Another Pesky Million!

Well, another milestone rapidly approaches with the blog due to sail past the six millionth 'hit' some time today. It's taken us 15 months to clock up this million, whereas the last only took just over 12, a fact that neatly confirms what this graph and my instinct tells me, namely that interest is steadily waning, but has picked up a bit since TR2 came over the horizon. What is still quite evident is that every time probation hits the news, this blog becomes the go-to-place:- 



But to be honest, I'm really not sure where things go from here. Some time ago the blog became dedicated to a fight for the soul and survival of something that I feel was worthwhile, honourable and just plain 'right'. It's been a big part of my life ever since I first set foot in a probation office and felt immediately 'at home'. It seems to me we've won all the arguments; garnered all the evidence; recruited all the malcontents; identified the humbug; called-out the hypocrisy and recorded the time-line, but despite all our efforts, are we really any nearer to recovering much of our profession?

Despite recent confirmation that TR is officially dead, many of us remain to be convinced that TR2 can be prevented, but even if it is, do we really want to become re-united under Civil Service command and control? I think not.




"End of an era....NPS saying fond farewell to Michael Spurr, who has spent his career promoting the best of prison and probation. Thank you Michael."  Kilvinder Twitter 29/03/19
 
Understandably, many good people can only have so much energy for fighting and the inherent negativity can be draining and not at all healthy for anyone in the long term, myself included. Not surprisingly many people have 'moved on', a fact that is not lost on those in government, MoJ or the privateers and other 'chancers' determined to never admit that TR was a total fucking disaster and simply carry on regardless. I sense the inevitability of a steady decline for the blog. I've already written regarding a noticeable drop-off in the quality and quantity of contributions, a situation unlikely to improve I suspect. 

As many are aware, other social media platforms are available, which is just as well given that the heavily-moderated Napo members 'Forum' died a death some time ago, either through deliberate act or simple carelessness. Facebook has become the new platform of choice for many, especially the notoriously 'secret' group with an impressive 2,200 members, including some contributing Napo staff. 

Despite the description and as is often highlighted, this group cannot be regarded as 'secret' and it must be assumed employers and others read it. Despite this, many people are signed-in under real identities and the discussion is often informative, thought-provoking and lively, just such a shame that it is neither public nor secret, but sort of 'semi private'. A bit like Freemasonry, it must irritate some potential members if they fail to find a way of gaining access. Just as there are potential issues posting on such a site, there are also pros and cons with anonymous contributing, as on the blog. 'You pays your money and takes your choice' as they say.   

Starting this blog was the easiest thing in the world. Although inordinately time-consuming and on occasions stressful, it's also been a great privilege and mostly enormous fun, but I know full well that deciding how it ends and when is going to be one of the hardest decisions I will ever have to make, but not just yet some will be relieved to hear. I think there is still a bit more mileage left before I'm willing to give up and concede defeat, but dear reader, to a large extent it depends on you, your continued interest and most important of all, your  contributions! 

Thanks for making the blog what it continues to be - the go-to-place for probation.