November 23

November 23, 2006: Probation Service To Be Abolished, Says Napo

The new Offender Management Bill could lead to the abolition of the National Probation Service, according to probation union Napo. Commenting on Bill's publication today, Napo's Assistant General Secretary Harry Fletcher stated:

“This Bill will, if implemented, lead to the abolition of the National Probation Service and its replacement with a competitive market. Local accountability would be lost, information sharing between agencies will be diminished by competition, and public protection compromised. The Bill is not about improving standards, it is about privatisation, yet to date no business case has been produced by the Government to show how the replacement of Probation by a market will actually work and improve the delivery of service. Whole probation Areas could be sold off under the arrangements, including the supervision of high risk offenders."

"The experience of privatisation in probation work so far has been a disaster. The management of property and hostel facilities such as cooking and cleaning were privatised three years ago and resulted in a 30% hike in prices and a dramatic fall in standards. Indeed, the contracts are currently being renegotiated.”

Mr Fletcher continued:

“ The sale of the Probation Service was first justified by Ministers on the grounds that it was failing. Yet, this experiment comes at a time when Probation is performing better than ever. Ministers then said that reconviction rates were too high. In reality the rates are significantly lower than those for prison. Adjusted figures show that during the two-year period after completion of probation between 41% and 46% are involved in a further offence compared to 67% from custody. Statements by Ministers that the re-offending rates are the same are totally inaccurate. The Probation Service is an agent of justice and the courts and must not become an agent of commerce and profit."

"The way forward is through partnership with the voluntary and private sector not competition. The Government should look to arrangements in Scotland for offender management where there is a statutory duty on agencies to cooperate with each other to reduce re-offending.”

“Napo will be urging MPs of all Parties to vote against the relevant clauses which remove the power from local Areas to commission and give them to the Secretary of State, and therefore pave the way for privatisation. A lobby of Parliament has been organised for 29th November and a meeting will be held in Committee Room 14 addressed by MPs who share Napo’s concern.”

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