Work of HMI Probation
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HM Inspectorate of Probation conducts different types
of inspections, some jointly with other bodies, as set
out below.
Reports on all our inspections are published, and are
available on this website - see Reports
and Other Information.
In addition to our fuller reports, we have also developed
Inspection Findings bulletins to make our findings available
in a more accessible form.
Find out more about each type of inspection by clicking
on one of the links below:
Area
Inspections
A major element of HMI Probation’s inspection
of the National Probation Service are inspections relating
to individual probation areas.
The current programme – the Effective
Supervision Inspection programme (ESI) – commenced
in mid-2003 and is covering all 42 probation areas in
England and Wales over a 3 year period.
Areas of similar characteristics (in terms of size and
population density) are being inspected in the same
year to facilitate comparisons in performance. The programme
focuses on the effectiveness of the supervision of offenders
on community orders and prison licences and a score
is assigned based on the quality of assessments of the
offender, interventions carried out with the offender
and the initial outcome.
The inspection identifies strengths and areas for improvement.
Recommendations to improve effectiveness are made, including
where appropriate recommendations to the National Probation
Directorate.
Further details of the methodology and scoring, and
of the criteria against which areas are assessed are
in ESI
criteria
(file size 67 Kb) and the ESI
scoring methodology.
(file size 108 Kb)
Reports have now been published for about half of the
42 probation areas. These and all HMI Probation reports
are available at Reports and
Other Information.
The ESI also includes a thematic element under which
a particular theme is examined in greater depth across
a number of areas. Results on this element for each
area are published in the ESI report for that area (as
above). A separate Thematic
Inspection report on the topic covering results
across the areas concerned is also published.
For the first 7 areas inspected in ESI the thematic
element was employment and basic skills (EBS); the thematic
report on this was published in February 2004. View
the EBS
thematic report
(file size 332 Kb).
For the next 7 areas inspected the thematic element
was domestic violence; the thematic report on this was
published in July 2004 along with a literature review.
View the Domestic
Violence thematic report and literature review.
For the next 7 areas inspected the thematic element
was racially motivated offenders. The thematic report
on this is due to be published on 01 February 2005.
View
the report
(file size 300 Kb)
For the areas currently inspected in ESI the thematic
element is offender accommodation.
Previous Area Inspections
Previous recent inspections of probation work were
the Performance Inspection Programme (PIP) and the Audits
of Accredited Programmes
Performance Inspection Programme (PIP)
The PIP Programme ran between 1999 -2003. Under this
programme (which commenced prior to the establishment
of the National Probation Service in April 2001), all
probation services in England and Wales were inspected,
with follow up inspections. Services were inspected
on a regional basis. Reports contained comparative information
on performance across the region as well as comments
and recommendations to improve performance. The aim
of the programme was to ensure services were achieving
good levels of general performance and providing value
for money.
Audit of Accredited Programmes
Between 2001 and 2003, HMIProbation carried out audits
of accredited programmes in each probation area on behalf
of the CSAP (Correctional Services Accreditation Panel).
The aim of an accredited programme is to have a positive
influence on offender behaviour and as a result, contribute
to reducing reoffending. Each probation area was assessed
against the delivery criteria in four key areas; committed
leadership and supportive management, programme management
responsibilities, quality of programme delivery and
case management responsibilities. Key findings were
published in a report. Areas received follow-up audits
to examine the extent to which HMI Probation’s
initial findings and recommendations have been implemented.
The performance standards manuals which set out the
basis of the assessments made in the audits are:
The audit programme was completed around end 2003.
Formal responsibility for auditing accredited programmes
on behalf of the Correctional Services Accreditation
Panel is with the NPD.
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Other Probation Area Inspections
On occasions, HMI Probation inspects probation areas
outside England and Wales. The report of an inspection
of the Isle of Man Probation Service was published on
08 February 2005. It can be viewed
here
Thematic
Inspections
In addition to the thematic element of the ESI, we
also on occasions conduct other national inspections
on a particular theme or issue.
Normally around 6-10 probation areas are selected to
provide a representative sample and are visited for
a detailed examination of their work in relation to
the theme. A national report is published which comments
on the findings from all the areas inspected.
The report identifies strengths and areas for improvement.
Recommendations are made for improvements and may
be directed at government departments and other organisations
as well as the NPS. All probation areas, not just those
involved in the fieldwork, are expected to act on the
findings and implement the recommendations.
Reports on thematic inspections published in the last
12 months (alongside those on employment and basic skills,
on domestic violence and on racially motivated offenders,
under the thematic element of the ESI) are on:
- the Governance of the NPS;
- race equality;
- the Diploma in Probation Studies (DipPS).
- Movement of offender cases between probation areas.
Two of these followed up earlier inspections.
All HMI Probation reports are available at Reports
and Other Information.
Increasingly, our thematic inspection work is being
undertaken as joint inspections with other CJ inspectorates
under the auspices of the Criminal Justice Chief Inspectors’
Group, and with other interested agencies. Recently
published reports of joint CJ inspections in which we
have participated include:
We have been involved in joint area inspections in
Surrey and North Yorkshire which focus on pre-sentence
work.
We are currently leading a joint inspection on sex offenders.
This will be followed by a more general joint inspection
on public protection. We are also involved in joint
inspection on enforcement. and in further joint work
on Children’s Safeguards.
We are working with the Prisons Inspectorate on arrangements
for inspecting resettlement, in the context of developing
plans for inspection of offender management.
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YOT
inspections
The joint inspection programme started in September
2003, following two pilot inspections. The programme
is led by HMI Probation, with participation from eight
other criminal justice and other inspectorates:
- Audit Commission
- Commission for Social Care Inspection
- Estyn
- Healthcare Commission
- HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
- HM Inspectorate of Prisons
- HM Inspectorate of Probation
- Office for Standards in Education
- Social Services Inspectorate for Wales
All 155 YOTs in England and Wales are to be inspected
over a five to six year cycle. As this is a long inspection
programme, we decided to break it down into three phases
in order to retain its relevance and ensure that it
continues to consider local and national concerns.
The three phases are:
- September 2003 - July 2004
The inspections will concentrate on key issues, with
emphasis placed on establishing benchmarks and the
dissemination of good practice. YOTs are being asked
to volunteer for this stage of the process.
- Up to September 2006
During this time the inspections will be individually
tailored to each YOT, based on an examination of the
data available and the findings from other inspection
programmes.
- September 2006 onwards
The inspections will focus on achievement against
targets met, particularly on increasing overall performance
and ensuring consistency of practice.
The inspections will be carried out in line with the
Government’s commitment to proportionate and coordinated
inspection in local government, informed by the Comprehensive
Performance Assessment results and the Wales Programme
for Improvement.
We have therefore developed a programme that:
- is proportionate to risk and only inspects those
areas of work where a team is performing well in order
to disseminate good practice;
- complements, and is coordinated with, other inspection
programmes, including those currently being developed
following the publication of the Green Paper, Every
Child Matters (2003);
- takes account of YOTs’ recent development
as organisations.
Comprehensive standards and criteria have been developed
to cover the first phase of the inspection, focusing
on:
- management and partnership arrangements;
- children and young people considered at risk of
offending;
- children and young people who offend;
- parents/carers of children and young people who
are at risk of offending or who offend;
- work with victims of crime.
Full
details of the YOT inspection standards and criteria
(file
size 206 kb).
YOT inspection reports published so far are available
at Reports and Other Information.
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Supporting
People Inspections
Supporting People is the Government’s long-term
policy to enable local authorities to plan, commission
and provide housing related support services which help
vulnerable people live independently. The programme
went live on 1 April 2003.
The aim of the Supporting People programme is to establish
a strategic, integrated policy and funding framework,
delivered locally in response to identified local needs,
to replace the current complex and unco-ordinated arrangements
for providing housing related support services for vulnerable
people.
The Supporting People programme brings together a number
of funding streams including transitional housing benefit
(THB), which has paid for the support costs associated
with housing during the implementation phase, the Housing
Corporation’s supported housing management grant
(SHMG) and probation accommodation grant scheme (PAGS)
into a single pot to be administered by 150 administering
local authorities.
The Supporting People programme is currently being
jointly inspected, with the Audit Commission taking
the lead, and participation from HMI Probation and the
Commission for Social Care Inspection. The inspection
programme commenced in September 2003 and will cover
all 150 administering local authorities over a 5-year
cycle. All 42 Probation Areas will be subject to inspection
at various points during the programme.
Supporting People inspection reports published so far
are available at Reports and
Other Information.
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Specific
Enquiries
On occasions, HMI Probation also carries out enquiries
on specific cases, usually at Ministers’ request.
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