Context
Probation workloads are reportedly unmanageable, with high staff turnover and sickness rates. Probation officers often manage cases belonging to colleagues, which can lead to increased risk of prisoners being recalled if they have not had continuous supervision.
Question
An effective Probation Service is crucial for the rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners to reduce reoffending. Although I welcome the number of new probation officers to be recruited, Napo reports that probation workloads are unmanageable, staff turnover and sickness are high, and probation officers are often managing cases belonging to colleagues, when evidence suggests that prisoners on licence are less likely to be recalled if they have had the same supervising officer from the day of their release. Can the Minister please outline the steps being taken to address these issues, so that morale is improved and probation officers have sufficient time for and attention to give to individual cases?
Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)
My hon. Friend is right that we need to ensure that prison officers have the time to do the job they came in to do, which is to spend time with offenders and turn their lives around. In addition, we have invested an initial £8 million in technology and launched a new programme to develop a sustainable work process that will allow probation staff to focus on the work they joined the service to deliver.
Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific steps or timelines for addressing high turnover, sickness rates, and ensuring continuous supervision by the same officer.
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