Probation overhaul as private companies’ contracts to be scrapped

The contracts of community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) that have delivered probation services since 2015 will be ended two years early, the Ministry of Justice has announced.

But Government proposals to replace them with fewer, larger organisations have been criticised by Labour police and crime commissioners (PCCs) who believe they will lead to “more of the same”.

The House of Commons’ Justice Select Committee recently described current provision of probation services as a “mess” with little hope of effective reform.

The Government acknowledged that CRCs have faced significant challenges but believes its proposed reforms will lead to a better service for offenders across the country.

Derbyshire PCC Hardyal Dhindsa, a former probation officer with 30 years’ experience, said: “The very idea of turning a public service which manages offenders and their rehabilitation into a business is a flawed concept. It needs motivation and the kind of understanding that isn’t motivated by money, growth or profit margins.

“Simply trading one set of private companies for a smaller number, probably with no change in the actual companies themselves is a smoke and mirrors scenario. It is fraught with danger.

“There are alternatives and I think that these should be considered before new contracts are announced. More of the same will just not work.”

Probation services have been carried out by private CRCs and the National Probation Service (NPS) since the two organisations were created in 2014 as part of the Transforming Rehabilitation project.

The 21 CRCs have been tasked with managing low to medium-risk offenders, with NPS dealing with the more serious cases.

Last month the House of Commons Justice Committee said the arrangements had rendered the probation service a “mess” and had plunged staff morale to an all-time low.

It added that it was not convinced reforming the system could ever lead to an effective service.

In particular, the committee criticised the decision to split management of offenders between two organisations, which it claimed had created a two-tier system that excluded the voluntary sector.

The Ministry of Justice highlighted that CRCs have cut reoffending rates but recognised they have faced “a number of challenges”.

These include changes in the types of offenders appearing before the courts and the sentences they receive, which have substantially reduced CRC income as well as the quality of frontline services.

The Government’s proposals include aligning the CRC and NPS areas into ten new probation regions.

It also wants to bring supervision of all offenders in Wales into the NPS rather than being a devolved responsibility.

It claims these plans will create more opportunities to co-commission rehabilitation services alongside PCCs, and will allow better joint working with health and housing.

The changes are estimated to cost £170 million.

An additional £22 million is also being invested in improving through-the-gate services over the next two years, and a professional register will be introduced to help probation staff move between roles.

The consultation will run until September 21.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said he is confident the proposals will lead to a more effective probation system.

“I am determined to have a probation service that protects the public, commands the confidence of the courts and ultimately reduces reoffending,” he added.

“So we are taking decisive action now to improve the delivery of probation services in England and Wales.

“We want to see less reliance on ineffective short prison terms, and in order to achieve this courts must have confidence that probation services will deliver tough community sentences – sentences that punish, but also help those who commit crime to turn their lives around and stop offending.”

David Lloyd, criminal justice lead for the Association of PCCs, claimed the consultation will provide an opportunity to consider how PCCs can play a greater role in rehabilitation services.

Leicestershire PCC Lord Willy Bach said: “I welcome the fact that the Government has recognised that this is a flawed system.  It has cost the taxpayer millions.

“I believe there are better ways of delivering these services, particularly by keeping them local and integrated with the other partners who do so much good work to rehabilitate offenders already.

“I will participate in the consultation but it sounds as though the government has already decided to retain the split in probation delivery and to run services through even larger areas. That seems a backwards step and I shall ask to meet with the minister to discuss alternative proposals.”

Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon said: “This decision to throw more good money after bad and the government’s re-commitment to a privately-run probation service shows that the Conservatives have run out of all ideas on how to fix their broken system.”