Region's probation services rated inadequate

Inspectors assessed how more than 300 cases had been handled by probation staff

Probation services in the East Midlands have been judged inadequate by government inspectors.

A report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP), published on Thursday, said work to protect people from harm - particularly women and children who were the victims of domestic abuse - was not good enough.

HMIP said its findings were based on a review of 330 cases of offenders serving sentences in the community or on licence across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

The Ministry of Justice said it had already taken action to bolster safeguarding to protect the public across the region.

Dave Argument, HMIP's head of the probation inspection programme, told the BBC: "Principally the quality of work to protect the public from harm just wasn't good enough."

He said inspectors had found poor quality risk assessments and management plans for offenders across the region.

"We were particularly concerned about the safeguarding of children and in terms of domestic abuse - so the risk that men on probation pose to women," Mr Argument said.

'Performing heroics'

On average each probation officer (PO) had 34 cases assigned to them and each probation service officer (PSO) had 41 cases, the reports said.

"It's very important for probation leaders and for government to recognise that the probation service is also under immense strain," Mr Argument said.

Mr Argument said probation staff were found to be wanting to do a good job but were "working with caseloads that are far too great and with simply too much to do".

He said many staff were "performing heroics" in a system under strain.

The report said probation leaders had developed good relations with counterparts in prisons locally

Within its overall rating of inadequate, the HMIP report concluded regional leadership and staffing in the probation service requires improvement.

It judged the service's work on public protection and prevention of re-offending was inadequate.

The report also found the regional service's court work was inadequate with improvements needed to improve the advice to magistrates and judges passing sentences.

The handling of unpaid work cases was also inadequate, inspectors said, though placements were "generally of good quality, with opportunities to pay back to local communities".

The report said regional probation leaders had established good relationships with local prisons but high prison populations were among factors limiting the opportunities for probation staff to have contact with inmates before their release.

Recommendations

Inspectors rated the work the regional probation service did to support victims of crime as good - particularly those who had suffered from violence or serious sexual offences.

Inspectors said they identified clear strengths on workforce planning which was having an impact on staffing levels, which were beginning to improve and stabilise.

In general, staff reported a positive and inclusive work culture, and wellbeing support, such as trauma risk management, was in place, the report said.

The report made 11 recommendations to the regional service and HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

These include improving the quality of court reports to inform sentencing and to work with sentencers to ensure that advice from probation court staff is obtained pre-sentence.

HMPPS has been urged to ensure sufficient resources are allocated to the region to enable effective and timely serious further offence reviews.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, placing significant strain on the Probation Service.

"Thanks to the action of our hard working staff, immediate action has already been taken across the region to bolster safeguarding checks to protect the public.

"We are also boosting probation funding by 45%, investing up to £700m more by 2028, and we are planning to recruit another 1,300 probation officers by March next year.

"This will ensure offenders receive robust supervision and improve the work officers do to make our streets safer."