The National Probation Service Flashcards
what are the aims of the NPS?
Probation means someone is serving a sentence but they are not in prison. An offender could be put on probation because:
They are serving a community sentence
They have been released from prison on licence or on parole
Any one released from prison after serving between two days and under two years must be supervised by probation for at least 12 months
While on probation, you may have to:
Do unpaid work
Complete an education or training course
Get treatment for addictions, like drugs or alcohol
Have regular meetings with an ‘offender manager’
how is the NPS funded?
The NPS is funded by His Majesty’s Prison and probation Service funded by the Ministry of Justice, via taxation.
what is the philosophy of the NPS?
Believe in the ability of people who have offended to change for the better and become responsible members of society
Be committed to promoting social justice, social inclusion, equality and diversity
Recognise that full consideration should be given to the rights and needs of victims when planning how a service user’s sentence will be managed
Be committed to acting with professional integrity
what are the types of criminals does the NPS target?
The NPS will supervise a range of offenders and criminality, but will categorise them into either Very High, High, Medium or Low risk to society.
Probation Officers (POs) - Will be responsible for directly supervising Very High and High risk offenders.
Probation Services Officers (PSOs) - Will tend to supervise/manage the Medium and Low risk offenders.
At any one time the NPS is supervising around 200,000 adult offenders in the community.
what are the working practices of the NPS?
The NPS has to prepare pre-sentence reports for courts, to help in the selection of the most appropriate sentence.
It also manages approved premises for offenders with a residence requirement on their sentence.
Assessing offenders in prison to prepare them for release on licence to the community, when they will come under supervision, is also part of its role.
Finally, they must communicate with and prioritise the wellbeing of victims of serious sexual and violent offences, when the offender has received a prison sentence of 12 months or more, or is detained as a mental health patient.
what is the reach of the NPS?
There are 12 regions in England and Wales, each overseen by a Regional probation Director.
