Sentencers and commissioners: Time for a new relationship?

"Being invited to look again at criminal justice commissioning through a sentencer’s eyes is a bit like going back to one’s old school after a long gap. The last time I was invited to offer some thoughts about commissioning was back in 2006 when I was a probation board chair. And in this sector, that is a very long time ago: the equivalent of moving from primary school to your first job!

Since 2006 most criminal justice agencies have been through more reorganisations than you can shake several sticks at. For example, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the National Probation Service, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and the Crown Prosecution Service have all had their makeovers one way or another. The Sentencing Guidelines Council has been succeeded by the Sentencing Council. Later this year we shall have the new Police and Crime Commissioners. No doubt many of you here this evening were involved in some of those changes..."