Plans to privatise probation service ‘could weaken' safeguarding checks

Certain functions, such as initial risk assessments and responsibility for high-risk offenders, will continue to be carried out by a reduced public sector probation service. 

But the remaining work – predominantly the management of lower risk offenders – will be opened up to the market, with the aim of harnessing the “innovation and dynamism” of private and voluntary organisations.

An estimated 200 to 300 probation officers who are seconded to youth offending teams (YOTs) in England and Wales will be affected by the changes.

Gareth Jones, chair of the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers, says all YOTs will be affected, whether probation staff remain employed by a smaller public sector service or transfer to outsourced organisations.

Statutory guidance contained in the Crime and Disorder Act stipulates that probation services must have a presence in YOTs, but does not state that these staff must be full-time employees.

Jones fears that probation trusts remaining in the public sector could be forced to cut their representation on YOTs down to a minimum, creating part-time roles, but still meeting statutory requirements. “The real worry is that probation is cut down so much that they become incapable of sustaining the things you want them to do logistically,” he says.

Jones argues that there is room for a mixed economy of providers in the youth justice system, particularly in “straightforward” areas such as community payback schemes. But he argues that the current plans out for consultation could lead to safeguarding work being privatised and issues around the assessment of risk posed by young people. “The risk a young offender poses can change after an initial assessment,” he says. “Who will be accountable for reassessments?”

Bidding for contracts
Under the government proposals, contracts would be commissioned nationally and delivered locally, meaning that large organisations such as Serco or G4S could bid for the overall contract and carve it up between smaller organisations that work with offenders, such as Catch22 and Nacro.

Chris Wright, chief executive of Catch22, says his organisation will be able to reduce youth justice reoffending rates, which currently run at 35.3 per cent.

He points to a payment-by-results scheme at Doncaster Prison run alongside Serco as evidence that new ways of working can be successful. Under the four-year scheme, launched in 2011, 10 per cent of the contract value is based on achieving a five percentage point reduction in reoffending. Catch22 supports offenders to resettle into community life on release from prison and involves volunteer mentors in the work.

“We have felt for a while that probation services are ripe for reform,” Wright says. “This provides an opportunity for organisations like ours to do the things we think we are good at doing, which is engaging with people in difficulty and using our approach of working with volunteers to make a difference.”

But Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary at probation and family court union Napo, says any improvements to services will be immaterial if the government fails to address the struggle that young offenders face in the workplace.

“The reason payment-by-results has failed is that all the evidence suggests the best way of getting offenders out of crime is education and paid work,” he says. “At the moment, the labour market is so awful that even if you get them drug- and crime-free, there are no jobs available. There are many more applicants than jobs, and employers will discard people with criminal offences.”