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Grayling admits probation privatisation will not cut reoffending dramatically Grayling admits probation privatisation will not cut reoffending dramatically
(about 2 hours later)
The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has admitted his plans for the wholesale outsourcing of the probation service will not lead to an overnight reduction in stubbornly high reoffending rates but said he hoped it would lead to a "steady year by year decline". The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has admitted his plans for the wholesale outsourcing of the probation service will not lead to an overnight reduction in stubbornly high reoffending rates but said he hoped it would lead to a "steady year-by-year decline".
Grayling confirmed plans to scale back the public probation service to a "core role" of focusing on the most dangerous and high-risk offenders. Private companies and voluntary sector organisations would take over work with the majority of offenders by 2015, on a payment by results basis.Grayling confirmed plans to scale back the public probation service to a "core role" of focusing on the most dangerous and high-risk offenders. Private companies and voluntary sector organisations would take over work with the majority of offenders by 2015, on a payment by results basis.
The probation officers' union, Napo, claims the move represents the demise of the 105-year-old public probation service in England and Wales. The shadow justice secretary, Sadiq Khan, says ministers are taking a reckless gamble with public safety by using such an "untested and untried" payment by results model.The probation officers' union, Napo, claims the move represents the demise of the 105-year-old public probation service in England and Wales. The shadow justice secretary, Sadiq Khan, says ministers are taking a reckless gamble with public safety by using such an "untested and untried" payment by results model.
Grayling told BBC radio that he was trying to capture the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors to tackle reoffending rates. He said: "I am not expecting overnight some dramatic drop in offending but some steady year by year decline in offending." Grayling told BBC radio he was trying to capture the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors to tackle reoffending rates. He said: "I am not expecting overnight some dramatic drop in offending but some steady year-by-year decline in offending."
Grayling says a radical overhaul is needed to tackle the high reoffending rates, with 58% of short-sentenced prisoners offending again within a year and half a million crimes committed each year by released prisoners.Grayling says a radical overhaul is needed to tackle the high reoffending rates, with 58% of short-sentenced prisoners offending again within a year and half a million crimes committed each year by released prisoners.
The plans published on Wednesday mark a rapid acceleration of the "rehabilitation revolution" that the previous justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, had been cautiously piloting. The plans, published on Wednesday, mark a rapid acceleration of the "rehabilitation revolution" that the previous justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, had been cautiously piloting.
Harry Fletcher, an assistant general secretary at Napo, claimed the decision was astonishing, given that the probation service had been awarded the British Quality Foundation gold award for excellence last year: "This move is purely ideological," he said. "It is being rushed through without proper thought to the consequences. It will be chaotic and will compromise public protection."Harry Fletcher, an assistant general secretary at Napo, claimed the decision was astonishing, given that the probation service had been awarded the British Quality Foundation gold award for excellence last year: "This move is purely ideological," he said. "It is being rushed through without proper thought to the consequences. It will be chaotic and will compromise public protection."
The plans set out in the consultation Transforming Rehabilitation include inviting private companies and voluntary sector organisations to bid for the overwhelming majority of probation work. Full implementation is envisaged to take place by spring 2015, just before the expected date of the next general election.The plans set out in the consultation Transforming Rehabilitation include inviting private companies and voluntary sector organisations to bid for the overwhelming majority of probation work. Full implementation is envisaged to take place by spring 2015, just before the expected date of the next general election.
The announcement by the rightwing, populist justice secretary represents a new frontier in the boundary between public and private sectors in criminal justice. More than 240,000 offenders are supervised by the probation service each year.The announcement by the rightwing, populist justice secretary represents a new frontier in the boundary between public and private sectors in criminal justice. More than 240,000 offenders are supervised by the probation service each year.
Unions expect that as much as 70% of the work currently done by the probation service in working with offenders in the community will move to private and voluntary sector providers under the plan, including the supervision of nearly all medium- and low-risk offenders. Unions expect that as much as 70% of the work done by the probation service in working with offenders in the community will move to private and voluntary sector providers under the plan, including the supervision of nearly all medium- and low-risk offenders.
While the public probation service will not be banned outright from bidding for the work, it will be expected to do so only in partnership with the private sector. The current arrangement in London where Serco and the probation service delivers the community payback or unpaid work contract is regarded as the most likely model.While the public probation service will not be banned outright from bidding for the work, it will be expected to do so only in partnership with the private sector. The current arrangement in London where Serco and the probation service delivers the community payback or unpaid work contract is regarded as the most likely model.
The first phase of competition will centre on Grayling's plans to introduce mandatory rehabilitation programmes for short-sentenced prisoners on their release. Legislation is to be introduced within the next year which will require the 46,000 offenders serving sentences of less than 12 months to undertake drug treatment, mentoring or other programmes as a condition of their release. The first phase of competition will centre on Grayling's plans to introduce mandatory rehabilitation programmes for short-sentenced prisoners on their release. Legislation is to be introduced within the next year that will require the 46,000 offenders serving sentences of less than 12 months to undertake drug treatment, mentoring or other programmes as a condition of their release.
The consultation paper says the remaining role of the public sector probation service "will focus on protecting the public by managing the most high-risk offenders, including all serious sexual and violent offenders, providing advice to courts and making initial risk assessments on all offenders. It will retain ultimate responsibility for public protection in all cases." High-risk offenders are only 51,500 of the 240,000 people under probation supervision each year.The consultation paper says the remaining role of the public sector probation service "will focus on protecting the public by managing the most high-risk offenders, including all serious sexual and violent offenders, providing advice to courts and making initial risk assessments on all offenders. It will retain ultimate responsibility for public protection in all cases." High-risk offenders are only 51,500 of the 240,000 people under probation supervision each year.
The decision to leave the writing of court reports to the probation service reflects the potential conflict of interest if private security companies are recommending sentencing options to judges and magistrates. The retention of the ultimate responsibility for public protection implies that the probation service will also keep an important monitoring role to safeguard standards and avoid major scandals.The decision to leave the writing of court reports to the probation service reflects the potential conflict of interest if private security companies are recommending sentencing options to judges and magistrates. The retention of the ultimate responsibility for public protection implies that the probation service will also keep an important monitoring role to safeguard standards and avoid major scandals.
The structure of the probation service also faces a major shakeup, with the current 35 areas merged into possibly six to eight regions so that bids can be invited on a national commissioning basis. The new areas will align closely with those of local authorities and police and crime commissioners. A £500,000 fund is to be set up to ensure voluntary and community groups are ready to begin bidding for services. The structure of the probation service also faces a major shakeup, with 35 areas merged into possibly six to eight regions so that bids can be invited on a national commissioning basis. The new areas will align closely with those of local authorities and police and crime commissioners. A £500,000 fund is to be set up to ensure voluntary and community groups are ready to begin bidding for services.
"Private and voluntary sector organisations will then be invited to bid for work in these areas with each contract awarded based on best value and innovation in tackling offending," says the consultation paper."Private and voluntary sector organisations will then be invited to bid for work in these areas with each contract awarded based on best value and innovation in tackling offending," says the consultation paper.
Grayling said the plans were the most significant reforms to tackle reoffending and managing offenders in the community for a generation.Grayling said the plans were the most significant reforms to tackle reoffending and managing offenders in the community for a generation.
"What we do at the moment is send people out of prison with £46 in their pocket, and no support at all. No wonder we have such high levels of reoffending. It is madness to carry on with the same old system and hope for a different result," he said."What we do at the moment is send people out of prison with £46 in their pocket, and no support at all. No wonder we have such high levels of reoffending. It is madness to carry on with the same old system and hope for a different result," he said.
"We know across the public, private and voluntary sectors there is a wealth of expertise and experience. We need to unlock that so we can finally begin to bring down our stubbornly high reoffending rates."We know across the public, private and voluntary sectors there is a wealth of expertise and experience. We need to unlock that so we can finally begin to bring down our stubbornly high reoffending rates.
"Our proposals will see all of those sentenced to prison or probation properly punished while being helped to turn away from crime for good. They will also mean we only spend taxpayers' money on what works when it comes to cutting crime," he said."Our proposals will see all of those sentenced to prison or probation properly punished while being helped to turn away from crime for good. They will also mean we only spend taxpayers' money on what works when it comes to cutting crime," he said.
On BBC Radio 4, the justice secretary said the probation system would not be 100% payment by results but part of the contracts would be on that basis. He said he wanted a "grown-up discussion" on how the "pricing system" would work but the incentives would not be based on success or failure with an individual offender but with a group of offenders.On BBC Radio 4, the justice secretary said the probation system would not be 100% payment by results but part of the contracts would be on that basis. He said he wanted a "grown-up discussion" on how the "pricing system" would work but the incentives would not be based on success or failure with an individual offender but with a group of offenders.
"I want to make sure that the most difficult offenders are not simply parked in the corner and ignore them. cannot afford that to happen. They have to implement the orders of the court. They need to earn their money by delivering real success," said Grayling."I want to make sure that the most difficult offenders are not simply parked in the corner and ignore them. cannot afford that to happen. They have to implement the orders of the court. They need to earn their money by delivering real success," said Grayling.
But Fletcher said the claim that high reoffending rates among short-term prisoners was evidence of probation failure was unfounded. He said: "Probation has no statutory responsibility for supervising anybody sentenced to 12 months or less. Reoffending rates for the individuals that probation does supervise are much improved; those who participate in programmes have a reoffending rate now of 35%. This is a success story that the government should be building on, not destroying.".But Fletcher said the claim that high reoffending rates among short-term prisoners was evidence of probation failure was unfounded. He said: "Probation has no statutory responsibility for supervising anybody sentenced to 12 months or less. Reoffending rates for the individuals that probation does supervise are much improved; those who participate in programmes have a reoffending rate now of 35%. This is a success story that the government should be building on, not destroying.".