Recommendations & Conclusions
20 items
1
Conclusion
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
A previous Justice Committee said in 2018 that the Transforming Rehabilitation looked unlikely ever to work. Time has proved our predecessors right. We welcome the Government’s decision to reunify the Probation Service and to introduce a new probation reform programme, even if we must acknowledge how unsatisfactory it is that …
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A previous Justice Committee said in 2018 that the Transforming Rehabilitation looked unlikely ever to work. Time has proved our predecessors right. We welcome the Government’s decision to reunify the Probation Service and to introduce a new probation reform programme, even if we must acknowledge how unsatisfactory it is that those working in the system must face more organisational change after six years of it and a 12-month period of coping with a pandemic. We thank the CRC providers for their work over the past six years, and recognise the positive work that has been done and the innovation CRCs have brought to the probation service during this time.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the Committee's support for a unified probation service, detailing how it has learned lessons and committed an extra £155m resource and £75m capital investment for 2021/22, with structural changes coming into effect on June 26, 2021.
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Ministry of Justice
2
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
This is the second major probation reform programme in the last five years. The unplanned-for effect of covid-19 has only added to the challenges the Probation Service faces. The lessons of the previous, failed reforms must be learned, and the new model must provide a lasting solution that allows some …
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This is the second major probation reform programme in the last five years. The unplanned-for effect of covid-19 has only added to the challenges the Probation Service faces. The lessons of the previous, failed reforms must be learned, and the new model must provide a lasting solution that allows some stability to a vital and hard-pressed service.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the committee's support and states it has sought to learn lessons from past reforms in designing the new unified probation model. It outlines long-term ambitions, structural changes coming into effect, and commits to stability and long-term investment, including an extra £155m resource …
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Ministry of Justice
4
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We welcome the decision to unify the Probation Service once more. We warn, however, that, after the disruption of the past seven years, changes proposed and begun to the probation system must be fully thought through, properly funded and expected to remain in place for a period of decades rather …
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We welcome the decision to unify the Probation Service once more. We warn, however, that, after the disruption of the past seven years, changes proposed and begun to the probation system must be fully thought through, properly funded and expected to remain in place for a period of decades rather than months or a few years. We seek an assurance from the Ministry of Justice that the new reforms will do so.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating the reforms are long-term and no further structural changes are planned. It committed an extra £155m resource and £75m capital for 2021/22, with ongoing work with HM Treasury for future investment.
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Ministry of Justice
6
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
The Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland QC MP, highlighted the role of covid-19 in requiring his decision to cancel the Probation Delivery Partner programme, but we must be concerned at any possible echo of a repeat of over-rapid, under-researched reform being introduced, at great cost and inconvenience, and then swiftly reversed …
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The Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland QC MP, highlighted the role of covid-19 in requiring his decision to cancel the Probation Delivery Partner programme, but we must be concerned at any possible echo of a repeat of over-rapid, under-researched reform being introduced, at great cost and inconvenience, and then swiftly reversed when difficulties arise. We recommend that the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice make it clear whether his cancellation of the Probation Delivery The future of the Probation Service 45 Partner programme was a pragmatic decision as a result of the additional pressures raised by the covid-19 outbreak or a decision on principle to bring unpaid work and behavioural change programmes back within a unified national probation service for the long term. In particular, we invite him to confirm whether the Ministry plans to reconsider or revive a Probation Delivery Partner programme once the covid-19 pandemic has been contained.
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed, stating the cancellation of the Probation Delivery Partner procurement was a pragmatic decision due to pandemic impacts. It confirmed it has no current plans to reconsider outsourcing, being confident in the new Target Operating Model for the longer term.
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Ministry of Justice
8
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
The new unified model has the potential to increase judicial confidence, through improved communication, sharing of relevant information and a more consistent offer of support. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice sets out how it will assess whether the new probation delivery model improves sentencer confidence, what criteria will …
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The new unified model has the potential to increase judicial confidence, through improved communication, sharing of relevant information and a more consistent offer of support. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice sets out how it will assess whether the new probation delivery model improves sentencer confidence, what criteria will be used to make that judgment, and what research will be undertaken, and data gathered.
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Government response AI summary
The government has agreed and developed a comprehensive evaluation strategy, including an annual judicial survey administered in March-April 2021, to assess sentencer confidence using specific satisfaction criteria and track judicial engagement.
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Ministry of Justice
9
Conclusion
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
Confidence in non-custodial sentencing among judges and magistrates - and, by implication, the public - will rise only if the suitability and effectiveness of such sanctions are improved. More needs to be done to address the range of issues that cause offending and, in particular in this context, reoffending after …
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Confidence in non-custodial sentencing among judges and magistrates - and, by implication, the public - will rise only if the suitability and effectiveness of such sanctions are improved. More needs to be done to address the range of issues that cause offending and, in particular in this context, reoffending after both custodial and non-custodial sentences. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill currently progressing through Parliament offers a substantial opportunity to increase public confidence that those who offend are serving suitable sentences, in prison and afterwards or as community alternatives. We look forward to considering firm legislative proposals on sentencing, release, parole, probation, youth justice and the management of offenders as the Bill proceeds.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the underlying sentiment and outlines specific plans from its 'A Smarter Approach to Sentencing' white paper, including strengthening pre-sentence reports, piloting problem-solving courts, expanding electronic monitoring, and rolling out Alcohol Monitoring Tags.
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Ministry of Justice
10
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We recommend that the MOJ sets out what other action is being taken to improve judicial and public confidence in sentencing, particularly for the delivery of community sentencing. We recommend that the MOJ sets out what criteria it uses to measure the effectiveness of community sentencing, including the effect on …
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We recommend that the MOJ sets out what other action is being taken to improve judicial and public confidence in sentencing, particularly for the delivery of community sentencing. We recommend that the MOJ sets out what criteria it uses to measure the effectiveness of community sentencing, including the effect on reoffending.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, outlining plans from its 'A Smarter Approach to Sentencing' white paper to improve community sentencing. This includes strengthening pre-sentence reports, piloting problem-solving courts, extending electronic monitoring (e.g., alcohol tags already rolled out), and expanding community sentence treatment requirements.
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Ministry of Justice
11
Conclusion
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
Pre-sentence reports are an essential part of probation delivery and ensure that sentencers have the information necessary to make sentencing decisions that will ensure justice and support rehabilitation. We welcome the MOJ’s commitment to improving pre-sentence reports and increasing their use under the new model and are pleased to hear …
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Pre-sentence reports are an essential part of probation delivery and ensure that sentencers have the information necessary to make sentencing decisions that will ensure justice and support rehabilitation. We welcome the MOJ’s commitment to improving pre-sentence reports and increasing their use under the new model and are pleased to hear that NPS capacity to prepare pre-sentence reports will be increased.
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the Committee's conclusion, outlining its long-term ambition to increase pre-sentence report (PSR) use to 75%. To achieve this, it committed to recruiting 1,500 trainee probation officers in 2021/22 and introducing improved digital systems for assessments.
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Ministry of Justice
12
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out how they intend to increase NPS capacity to prepare pre-sentence reports. The MOJ should also set out what work is being done besides this to improve the quality of pre-sentence reports, ensuring 46 The future of the Probation Service that those …
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We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out how they intend to increase NPS capacity to prepare pre-sentence reports. The MOJ should also set out what work is being done besides this to improve the quality of pre-sentence reports, ensuring 46 The future of the Probation Service that those completing them understand and convey to sentencers what the needs of the offender are, and what is available in the local community where a community sentence may be appropriate. (Paragraph 56) The Dynamic Framework
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed and committed to increasing pre-sentence report (PSR) capacity by recruiting 1,500 trainee probation officers in 2021/22 and introducing improved digital systems. To enhance quality, it will implement an alternative delivery model including pre-plea protocols and short-format reports, with a pilot evaluation to …
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Ministry of Justice
13
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We are pleased to hear that Ministry of Justice have taken steps to make the Dynamic Framework more accessible to smaller third sector organisations, and particularly welcome the consultancy support that the Ministry of Justice have funded or made available free of charge to some smaller organisations. There is concern, …
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We are pleased to hear that Ministry of Justice have taken steps to make the Dynamic Framework more accessible to smaller third sector organisations, and particularly welcome the consultancy support that the Ministry of Justice have funded or made available free of charge to some smaller organisations. There is concern, however, among smaller and third sector organisations that the ambition to include their expertise in the system may be defeated by complex processes that may favour larger bidders. We support the work the Ministry of Justice is doing to address those concerns. We welcome the analysis the Department is undertaking on who is bidding under the Dynamic Framework and the issues arising from the bidding process, and we recommend that the Ministry of justice publish this analysis, alongside a plan of what measures will be taken to address any issues identified.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, committing to publish the findings of an independent review and corresponding actions to improve Dynamic Framework (DF) access. It will also publish data on suppliers and SME/VCSE involvement, with the review findings expected in June and initial data by May …
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Ministry of Justice
14
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We welcome the work the Ministry is doing to feed into the Cabinet Office review of procurement and recommend that the MOJ update the Committee on the outcome of this review.
Government response AI summary
The government agrees to the recommendation, stating that the formal consultation on the Green Paper on Transforming Public Procurement has closed, and the Cabinet Office is now working through the outputs. The Ministry of Justice has engaged with the Cabinet Office during this process.
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Ministry of Justice
15
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
Although we recognise that contract values and volumes are indicative, we share in the concerns expressed by some of our witnesses, that in some instances projected volumes are lower than those that various organisations are currently working with. Given that contract value is based on projected volume, discrepancies in these …
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Although we recognise that contract values and volumes are indicative, we share in the concerns expressed by some of our witnesses, that in some instances projected volumes are lower than those that various organisations are currently working with. Given that contract value is based on projected volume, discrepancies in these figures, may prevent organisations from participating in the Dynamic Framework. For those that do participate, underfunded contracts may cause financial and operational issues later down the line which could affect the quality of service provision. The potential for contracts to be underfunded is of significant concern to the Committee and we recommend that The Ministry of Justice set out how they are modelling projected volumes and contract values, and also what is being done to ensure that contracts are sufficiently resourced and deliverable according to the funding that is available.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and details its modelling approach for projected volumes and contract values, based on historical data, future forecasts, and police recruitment. It explains that regional contract management and commercial teams will ensure contracts are sufficiently resourced.
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Ministry of Justice
18
Conclusion
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We welcome the additional investment the Ministry of Justice has made to improve Through the Gate service provision until existing contracts end. We are pleased that this additional investment has resulted in an improved service for those in need of resettlement support and we hope that the service continues to …
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We welcome the additional investment the Ministry of Justice has made to improve Through the Gate service provision until existing contracts end. We are pleased that this additional investment has resulted in an improved service for those in need of resettlement support and we hope that the service continues to improve under the new model of probation. We particularly welcome the Ministry’s intention to improve the integration between prison and community. All this being said, we have heard from several witnesses that the new resettlement model lacks clarity, with some uncertainty about how the model will be delivered in practice.
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the Committee's conclusion and responded by providing a detailed explanation of the new resettlement model. It outlined components like an enhanced Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model, Community probation practitioners' roles, various pre-release services (accommodation, mentoring), and performance measures being developed …
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Ministry of Justice
19
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out how they intend the new model to be delivered practically on a local level, and how the model will work alongside those services commissioned through the Dynamic Framework. The Ministry should detail how they will ensure the “in-reach” (pre-release contact between …
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We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out how they intend the new model to be delivered practically on a local level, and how the model will work alongside those services commissioned through the Dynamic Framework. The Ministry should detail how they will ensure the “in-reach” (pre-release contact between the probation offender manager and prisoner) aspect of the new model works in practice, considering challenges often faced in regard to security clearance, access to space and the operational capacity for prisons to deliver.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, detailing the new resettlement approach including an enhanced Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model and Community Rehabilitation Service (CRS) provider roles. It outlined a phased implementation, with initial elements starting June 26th and further components rolled out over 9-12 months …
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Ministry of Justice
20
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We note that the new resettlement model is being developed alongside the Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) Model. While we welcome both models, our inquiry has highlighted some concern that the OMiC model has not yet been fully rolled out across the prison estate, which could affect implementation and success …
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We note that the new resettlement model is being developed alongside the Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) Model. While we welcome both models, our inquiry has highlighted some concern that the OMiC model has not yet been fully rolled out across the prison estate, which could affect implementation and success of the resettlement model. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out the status of roll-out of the OMiC model, including how many prisons are implementing the model fully, partially and not at all. Should the model not yet be fully implemented, we invite the Ministry to provide a timetable for its full roll-out. (Paragraph 103) Workforce
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and provides a detailed phased history of the OMiC model rollout since 2018, including details of Key Work and Case Management implementation. It acknowledges COVID-19 disruption but states recovery plans are in place to ensure appropriate resourcing and alignment with probation service …
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Ministry of Justice
21
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
Probation Officers are fundamental to the delivery of probation, and we recognise the important role they play in supporting offenders and protecting the public. The Probation Service has historically faced difficulties with staffing levels, which has resulted in Probation Officers having very high caseloads, affecting their ability to manage risk …
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Probation Officers are fundamental to the delivery of probation, and we recognise the important role they play in supporting offenders and protecting the public. The Probation Service has historically faced difficulties with staffing levels, which has resulted in Probation Officers having very high caseloads, affecting their ability to manage risk and support offenders to rehabilitate. The Committee welcome the 48 The future of the Probation Service commitment to an additional 1,000 probation officers, but remain unclear whether this is additional to the existing vacancies. We recommend that the MoJ confirm whether the pledged 1,000 additional probation officers will be in addition to the 464 existing vacancies.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, confirming it met the target to recruit 1,000 additional trainee probation officer starters in 2020/2021, and is further increasing recruitment to 1,500 trainees while implementing measures to improve staff retention.
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Ministry of Justice
23
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We are pleased to note the Ministry’s commitment to employing more ex-offenders and welcome HMPPS’ commitment to employing 150 ex-offenders in probation. We recommend that the MOJ and HMPPS set out a detailed timeline for how it will recruit and deploy these ex-offenders. (Paragraph 128) Transition
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We are pleased to note the Ministry’s commitment to employing more ex-offenders and welcome HMPPS’ commitment to employing 150 ex-offenders in probation. We recommend that the MOJ and HMPPS set out a detailed timeline for how it will recruit and deploy these ex-offenders. (Paragraph 128) Transition
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Government response AI summary
The government has agreed and outlined a detailed timeline, expecting to transfer a large number of ex-offenders by June 2021 and piloting the 'Going Forward into Employment' (GFIE) program to recruit 20-30 individuals by April 2022.
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Ministry of Justice
24
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
Transition to the new model in the context of covid-19 presents a huge operational challenge, particularly for operating models, IT systems and building leases. The Ministry and HMPPS have assured us that work is under way to ensure transition is successfully and completed on schedule. We recommend that the Ministry …
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Transition to the new model in the context of covid-19 presents a huge operational challenge, particularly for operating models, IT systems and building leases. The Ministry and HMPPS have assured us that work is under way to ensure transition is successfully and completed on schedule. We recommend that the Ministry publish a detailed timetable setting out milestones towards transition, and we seek a monthly update on the progress made against those targets.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees to share regular progress updates with the committee, starting with Day 1 metrics and ongoing reporting, detailing significant progress made in implementing the first phase of Probation Reform and readiness for the June 26 transition.
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Ministry of Justice
25
Conclusion
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We are concerned to hear that some voluntary sector organisations do not feel sufficiently involved in the process to successfully manage transition.
Government response AI summary
The government agreed with the concern and committed to publishing the findings of an independent review, improving ease of access to the bidding process, and publishing data on suppliers and their supply chains by specific dates (June and May 2021).
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Ministry of Justice
26
Recommendation
18th Report - The future of the Probati…
Accepted
We recommend that the MOJ and HMPPS involve voluntary organisations and CRCs in relevant communications relating to transition. We recommend that the MOJ clarify to relevant voluntary sector supply chain partners their position in relation to TUPE, including what staff members are eligible and what contract they fall into. (Paragraph …
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We recommend that the MOJ and HMPPS involve voluntary organisations and CRCs in relevant communications relating to transition. We recommend that the MOJ clarify to relevant voluntary sector supply chain partners their position in relation to TUPE, including what staff members are eligible and what contract they fall into. (Paragraph 144) The future of the Probation Service 49
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it has used data to clarify TUPE-eligible staff and encourages current employers to consult with new suppliers. It remains committed to ensuring timely staff transfer activity for Day 1 services.
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Ministry of Justice