Government’s early release scheme 'put pressure' on probation service - as inspectors reveal 'chaotic state' of one unit

14 November 2024, 05:08 | Updated: 14 November 2024, 11:44

A government scheme to release prisoners early “put pressure” on the Probation Service, according to bodies in the sector.

It comes as a probation unit in West Yorkshire has been rated “inadequate” and in a “chaotic state” in an inspection.

Inspectors visited Bradford and Calderdale PDU in September, the same month where around 1,700 people were released from prisons in England and Wales to reduce overcrowding. Those freed were serving time for crimes like fraud and drug offences, and had to have completed 40% of their sentence.

A report out today found staff in Bradford and Calderdale didn’t feel valued in their roles, and criticised a “divisive culture” and high sickness levels. There was an average loss of 18 days a year down to sickness. NAPO, the Probation Service Union, says 75% of absences across the country are down to mental health including work-related stress.

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Dave Argument from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation says: “We found really concerning issues to do with the way the probation service in Bradford and Calderdale was working with the police, social services and other agencies to protect children from harm and others in the community from harm.

“The workloads staff are facing are too high, there are major issues in terms of recruitment and retention, that all has an impact on the ability of good quality work to the standard we expect.”

On the early release of prisoners under the government, Argument said: “We completely recognise the extreme difficulties the prison service faces in terms of capacity. Equally, it’s important to highlight that the Probation Service is extremely stretched.”

Commenting on the report, Tania Bennett from NAPO said, “Depressingly, it’s not unexpected. It’s not that much of a surprise.

"In terms of that part of the country, it is the worst of a bad lot, rather than being a huge exception to the rule compared to what we’re seeing across England and Wales.

"The issues at Bradford and Calderdale are quite common from what we’re seeing nationally.”

On the early release of prisoners, Bennett added: “I don’t think anyone working in probation would see these early release schemes as a good thing.

They see them as necessary and understood why they happened. Ultimately we need a fundamental review of sentencing. If we don’t stem the flow going into prisons, it’s like running a bath with the plug out all the time.”

Government figures show that between April and June, 13,338 people were released from jails in England and Wales, with 9,782 being recalled for breaching licence conditions. That’s a 44% rise on the same period in 2023.

This was Bradford and Calderdale PDU’s first inspection since its creation in 2021, when parts of the private and public sector in the Probation Service were joined together.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis which has put a huge strain on the probation service.

"We are gripping the situation and supporting our hardworking staff by improving training and recruiting 1,000 new probation officers nationally to better deliver robust supervision and protect the public."