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The magazine of the Probation Institute
PROBATION
Quarterly
Issue 20: June 2021
Probation:
unified and rebooted?
A personal view of licence and recall
Being under probation supervision
Autonomy, community, and fish-fries
The highs and lows of working as a probation officer on a remote island
Workload management and measurement
Learning from experience
2
PROBATION
Quarterly
Co-Editors
Anne Worrall
Jake Phillips
Designer
Richard Rowley
Editorial Board
We can help you
Sam Ainslie
Anne Burrell
with promotion!
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Contributors
Kevin Ball
David Breakspear
Anne Burrell
Fiona Campbell
Kulvinder Dhillon
Mike McClelland
Stacey Musimbe-Rix
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Madeline Petrillo probation staff, senior managers,
Jake Phillips academics and others interested
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Probation Quarterly.
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PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 203
WHAT’S INSIDE
P Issue 20: June 2021
The magazine of the Probation Institute WHAT’S INSIDE
4 How to feature in the PQ 20 ‘Double Jeopardy’: Domestic abuse
All you need to know about submitting an in ethnic minority communities and
article for future editions of the PQ. implications for probation practice
Stacey Musimbe-Rix, KSS CRC Research
5 Probation in England and Wales: and Policy Unit, summarises recent
unified and rebooted? research.
Editorial from Anne Worrall and Jake
Phillips.
24 ‘We’ve all got a big story’:
Experiences of a trauma-informed
8 Hello/Farewell intervention in prison
Welcoming new Editor Jake Phillips and Madeline Petrillo, University of Greenwich,
saying a fond farewell to Anne Worrall. discusses her recent research.
9 Personal reflections in practice 29 Probation Institute Conference on
Kulvinder Dhillon reflects on a long career Recall
in social work and probation. Anne Burrell reflects on the Probation
Institute’s recent Research Conference on
13 What’s going on at the Probation Recall.
Institute?
Update from Helen Schofield, Acting CEO
33 Workload management and
of the Probation Institute. measurement
A personal reflection from Probation
14 A personal view of licence and Institute Director Mike McClelland.
recall
David Breakspear reflects on being a
37 Autonomy, community, and fish-
person under probation supervision. fries
Fiona Campbell discusses the highs and
16 Under pressure lows of working as a probation officer on
Kevin Ball discusses caseload, workload the remote island of St Helena.
and staffing in probation services in
England and Wales.
41 An Invitation from The Bill
McWilliams Memorial Lecture
Steering Group
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 204
HOW TO FEATURE IN THE PQ
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
FOR THE NEXT
EDITION OF THE PQ?
Probation Quarterly publishes short articles The articles need to be well-written, informative
of 500 - 1500 words which are of interest and engaging but don’t need to meet the
to practitioners and researchers in public, academic standards for a peer-reviewed journal.
private or voluntary sector work with The editorial touch is ‘light’ and we can help you
offenders and victims. These articles can to develop your article if that is appropriate. If you
be about: have an idea for a suitable article, let me know
what you haves in mind and I can advise you on
• the activities of the Probation how to proceed.
Institute.
• news about the work of your Disclaimer
organisation or project. All contributors must adhere to the Probation
• reports from special events, seminars, Institute Code of Ethics but the views expressed
meetings or conferences. are their own and not necessarily those of the
• summaries of your own completed Probation Institute.
research. (Note: we do not publish
requests for research participants) Jake Phillips
• brief reviews of books or research Editor, Probation Quarterly
reports that have caught your eye.
• thought pieces where you can reflect Email: jake@probation-institute.org
on an issue that concerns you.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 205
EDITORIAL - PROBATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES: UNIFIED AND REBOOTED?
Probation in England and Wales:
unified and rebooted?
Editorial from Anne Worrall and Jake Phillips.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 206
EDITORIAL - PROBATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES: UNIFIED AND REBOOTED?
In the aftermath of the reunification of Germany to deal with the problems of racial inequality
Willy Brandt, then Mayor of Berlin, said ‘Now what identified in a recently published HMIP report
belongs together will grow together’. The reform on the issue. There is also the risk that some of
of probation services in England and Wales does the innovation seen in CRCs (such as meaningful
not exist on the same geo-political plane as the attempts to engage service users or the use of
reunification of East and West Germany. However, community hubs to deliver probation services)
there is a sense that, at least, the 26th June 2021 will be lost in the newly enlarged, centrally driven
marks the end of a period in which a service was NPS.
controversially split in two, causing considerable
damage to previous efforts to support people who But this is, and should be, a time for optimism
had been convicted of an offence. Unification and we hope that probation re-finds its voice as
(as it has come to be known) is undoubtedly a a service which advocates for people in conflict
positive move but we need to remember it is with the law. At the very least probation should
unlikely to be a panacea for the issues faced by now, once again, be a coherent service that is
service users, staff and the organisation, and back where it belongs: in the public sector. In
there is still considerable uncertainty especially order to get a sense of how unification went in
for staff working in CRCs, some of whom still do the immediate, short term we would welcome
not know what the future holds. submissions for the next issue which provide
‘early insights’ into the unification process.
Unification will enable better communication
for people working with different groups and Several of the articles in this issue deal with
reduce the need for service users to move across unification directly whilst others touch on it
services as their ‘risk’ changes. Importantly, it will tangentially. HMI Probation recently published a
remove the chances of ‘immutable lines’ being research report on the impact of high workloads
crossed in the pursuit of profit and hopefully lead in probation which, rightly, received plenty of
to a more coherent service for service users, staff, attention. We are pleased that we have two
sentencers and the general public. articles in this issue which deal specifically with
this important piece of work. Firstly, Kevin Ball
Yet Brandt’s quote is a reminder that it takes outlines the findings of the research whilst PI
time to heal after a schism and we would do director Mike McClelland provides a first-hand
well to remember this after June. Things will not reflective account of the comings and goings
be perfect overnight. Resourcing issues persist of workload management in probation over the
and workloads in the new service will remain years. We doubt there is an easy answer to the
high for some years. Mixed caseloads will pose a problem of workloads in probation but it is good
challenge for staff who have been used to having to see it being raised by HMI Probation and then
homogenous caseloads for the last seven years. picked up by the Justice Select Committee in its
CRC service users will have to get used to doing recent report on The Future of the Probation
things in new ways and NPS service users will Service.
see changes, too. Unification per se is unlikely
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 207
EDITORIAL - PROBATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES: UNIFIED AND REBOOTED?
Continuing with this reflective approach we are responsive, trauma-informed prison programme.
delighted to have two articles from practising Madeline’s findings are as important for probation
probation officers in this issue. The first, from practice as they are for prison practice and she
Kulvinder Dhillon, is a reflection on thirty years usefully concludes with some implications for
in practice across social work and probation. probation practice. There is clearly a need to
Providing a unique insight into the way probation respond to trauma appropriately and we are
officers’ belief in the ability of people to change sure that this research will prove useful in this
can persist despite shifts in policy towards the regard. Sticking with academic research, in April
technocratic and punitive. In her account of life the Probation Institute held an online research
as a seconded probation officer on St Helena, event on recall in which we heard from a range of
a remote island in the South Atlantic, Fiona speakers who had done research in this important
Campbell gives a sense of what it is like to use area. Anne Burrell provides a summary of the
the skills developed in England and Wales on an presentations.
island where a small and tight-knit community
poses both pros and cons for those working in In another important publication from HMI
probation. Probation recently we heard about the ways that
probation providers are failing to respond to and
David Breakspear, a member of the Revolving reduce racial inequality. Our article from Stacey
Doors Lived Experience Team, uses his piece Musimbe-Rix from KSS CRC gives further insight
to think about what the role of probation into this important issue. Stacey discusses the
is, or should be, in our broader sentencing findings of a piece of research which examined
framework. Using his own experience of being the intersectionality of race and gender for
under probation supervision he makes a strong BAME women victims of domestic violence. With
argument for abolishing short prison sentences important implications for probation practice the
(as has happened in other jurisdictions in recent research poses several challenges for the NPS
years) and probation services focusing on trust, post-unification. We are keen to publish more
time and empathy to improve the way people on on the important issue of race in probation with
probation are supported. Hearing from supervised questions such as how probation does or should
individuals should be a priority for services and respond to the Black Lives Matter movement
we’re really pleased to be able to include David’s being largely unaddressed thus far. If readers
thoughts here. have anything they would like to contribute,
please do get in touch.
Madeline Petrillo provides us with an overview
of her recently published article on prisoners’
experiences of being involved in a gender-
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 208
HELLO/FAREWELL
As probation enters a new era, so too does
Probation Quarterly. We are sad to announce
that this issue will be Anne Worrall’s final issue,
having edited PQ for nearly four years. Anne is
handing over the reins to Jake Phillips, Reader in
Criminology, from Sheffield Hallam University.
Anne says:
“When I became Editor of Probation Quarterly
in 2017, the consequences of Transforming
Jake Phillips
Rehabilitation were deep and widespread. My
Co-Editor, Probation Quarterly
modest vision was that the magazine would be a
bridge of communication between organisations
and individuals in all sectors working with
offenders and victims in the community. I
believed that a professional identity could be Jake says:
maintained and developed independently of the
organisations in which people found themselves “I was thrilled and honoured to be asked to
working, whether by choice or necessity. Nearly take on the editorship of Probation Quarterly,
four years on, I am very proud of what Probation having been a regular reader and sometime
Quarterly has achieved and am grateful to all contributor over the years. I will admit to feeling
the people who have contributed to it in any slightly trepidatious about my ability to follow in
way. There are too many to name here but an Anne’s footsteps, but I’ll do my best. I have been
exception has to be made for our designer, researching probation policy and practice since
Richard Rowley, who has been a pleasure to I started my PhD in 2008 and am delighted to be
work with and who gives the magazine its unique able to be involved in PQ, an endeavour which
visual identity.” exists to improve access to academic research
for those working in the field of probation and,
hopefully, service users. I am not planning
to make many changes to Anne’s winning
formula, keeping the focus on the magazine
being ‘a bridge of research-based or research-
informed communication between individuals
and organisations’ that work with people under
probation supervision. That said, I plan to
introduce themed sections and would like to
take this opportunity to invite contributions for
the next issue (PQ21) which will contain a section
on unification and the subsequent issue (PQ22)
which will focus on race, racial inequality and
Black Lives Matter. I would strongly encourage
Anne Worrall more practitioners and service users to submit
Co-Editor, Probation Quarterly articles but, as ever, welcome submissions
from academics, policymakers and others from
across the voluntary sector and criminal justice
system.”
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 209
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS IN PRACTICE
Personal reflections in practice
Kulvinder Dhillon, Probation Officer, reflects on a long career in
social work and probation.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2010
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS IN PRACTICE
I want to share with you some of my experiences
during my 30-year career in social work which has
included working as a probation officer. I don’t
claim to have the answers to improve services
but I was fortunate to have worked across many
types of criminal justice services as a practitioner,
supervisor and team manager enabling me to
gain valuable experience and work with amazing
colleagues. Often the service users I managed
were challenging individuals from disadvantaged
backgrounds with fascinating life stories.
Looking back at the early stage of my career Kulvinder Dhillon
I had wanted to make a positive difference to Probation Officer
people’s lives and started out as a volunteer at a
local community drug advice centre and homeless
shelter. I quickly realised that I was able to listen I would receive from charitable organisations
for hours to people including their partners or and people working in the Probation Service
others who were worried about their friends’ lives who showed a good insight into how to support
spiralling out of control. Most days in the centre chaotic individuals appearing before the courts.
I needed to be patient when a person’s drug
addiction affected their concentration levels and I continued to develop my experience and from
I would repeat myself to them as a consequence, my volunteering proceeded to obtain sessional
but an important thing I learned was the critical work and then paid work in probation hostels.
importance of building up trust and rapport with After this time I went on to train as a social
potentially dangerous people in society. worker but took occasional breaks from front
line children’s work to go to another service as I
I say ‘dangerous’, as some people would talk would become upset when coming across some
casually about the losses in their life and openly of the traumatic experiences that children had
tell me they would do risky things because no experienced at the hands of people they trusted.
one had ever cared about them and they had Understanding trauma / lived experiences can be
nothing to lose as the world was against them. emotionally draining even for professionals who
Many people including partners, parents and are encouraged to be ‘resilient’ when faced with
friends would contact the centre to ask about the such challenges.
cycles of addiction and their concern for someone
they knew was committing crime. That’s when I Some of those young people’s stories of being
was introduced to probation staff and other law mistreated have never left me and even though
enforcement agencies including forensic workers you try to forget these to function appropriately
and became curious to know more. as a dedicated professional it is hard to simply
erase such vivid descriptions by offenders
As a volunteer I worked extra hours to gain of brutality shown to them as children by
more experience but also realised that crisis their caregivers, those persons who abused
intervention did not fall into a routine 9-5 job. I their positions - not just family members but
recall taking people to health appointments and professionals in the education and institutional
accessing emergency accommodation for them, care system set up to protect the people they
but also remember the warmth and commitment abused.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2011
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS IN PRACTICE
However such experiences also helped me think As we live in a digital age there seems to be an
about the links between service users who over-reliance on technology to replace physically
reported childhood experiences of neglect and interacting with each other. Assessments and
how they had poor role models in their lives reports can become similar in their details, almost
growing up. ‘robotic’ when ultimately we are dealing with
people’s futures and their lives; shouldn’t case
I became conscious of the part that people’s recording provide a colourful, detailed picture
childhood has played in their adult lives; it is good of a person’s life story? Often assessment is
to know that now more attention is currently heavily influenced by complex scoring which may
being given to care leavers who commit crimes be confusing for practitioners to understand or
and are being managed by probation, although I explain; how will this actually assist front line
am unsure how staff will be additionally trained work? How can we create a culture of openness
to meet their needs. Damaged individuals who and honesty in the workplace as we would expect
receive statutory services often have no voice of our service users so we can learn from each
and services may lose sight of how the care other better?
system has affected people. However it seems
that there is more awareness now around One of the most rewarding comments I ever
mental health and poor attachment issues had as a manager came from a parent who had
amongst offenders which is encouraging. I noted positive improvement in their adolescent’s
often reflect about the newly qualified officers behaviour at home which they felt was as a result
entering the probation field with little life or of the young person’s worker spending time to
practice experience and how they could be more get to know their child and their problems. This
supported. feedback could not be measured in figures or
targets but in the human empathy context. The
When observing new officers spending more parent involved was telling me that her family
of their time in face-to-face work with clients life had improved as my staff had shown they
to get to know them more, this is encouraging were interested to work with her and were
but some new starters fail to fully appreciate not prepared to give up trying to engage her
how times have changed and how recruitment challenging teenage son who had caused havoc
used to expect evidence of direct experience in her local community.
of offender management to demonstrate an
interest or commitment. However in reality when Conversely I managed high risk BME clients
newly qualified officers’ caseloads increase and who have reported not being able to identify/
competing demands are placed on their time to relate or understand the work expected of
meet organisational deadlines, I hope they will them on offence focussed programmes which
still be able to create time to know their clients, they were placed on. In my view this is an
remembering why they joined the profession under researched area especially given the
which will no doubt change again through changes in demographics in inner cities and
the reunification processes announced by the over representation of BME service users in the
Government. Now as a part-time probation officer, criminal justice system as reported by annual
I notice changes in probation practices and Ministry of Justice publications.
fundamentally the fluctuating attitudes about
how we should ‘practise’ our supervision with
offenders; should we, for example, stop to think
about how we interact with each other in teams
and re-build team relationships?
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2012
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS IN PRACTICE
Years ago I remember how some clients respected valued by team colleagues at all levels. Staff
the professional boundaries in the relationship should be able to receive feedback on their views
differently between them and their officer. about changes introduced in the organisation and
Attitudes towards the role of the probation how they deal with the new ways of working.
officer in the community seemed to suggest Overall I still believe that a career as a probation
that probation staff would have more time to officer is a worthwhile opportunity to make
understand their offender and work with them positive changes to crime in our society and
effectively as they knew their situations. This influence those individuals who pose a risk to
was perceived by some colleagues at the time others through their behaviours.
as being due to the reduced paperwork we
dealt with (that is not to say there was none - I Finally I want to share my research interests and
do remember Part C paper files) but it was a I hope one day to proceed with at least some of
different, perhaps more simplified method of them. If you share any of my interests and would
recording what was happening with offenders we like to discuss them further, do get in touch
supervised. through the Editor:
Ultimately perhaps just being honest with • Cross cultural offender management
ourselves and learning from each other’s research projects following my visits to
experience more often is a way forward; practice Indian penal regimes in 2011 and 2017
workshops used to be held where teams could comparing and contrasting interventions
do just that in a relaxed forum. There are designed to reduce risk.
many aspects of working for probation which • The lived experiences of looked after
I have enjoyed including my specialist roles in children who offend and the impact of ‘out
the Homeless Offenders Unit, YOT and Crown of area’ placements. What are the impacts
Court although I most enjoyed my face-to-face, on young care leavers’ lives and futures?
individual work with high risk offenders and • Engagement of South Asian sex offenders
partnership work which relied on the ‘goodwill’ and examining sex offending intervention
I had with housing providers to accommodate programmes with them. How effective are
emergency homeless offenders on late Friday these programmes and can they co-design
afternoons. interventions?
• Examining the patterns of domestic
I will always be proud to have worked in the violence in South Asian communities and
organisation across many divisions and in a the role of parental, family influence on
variety of roles though I do believe that maturity behaviour by male perpetrators.
and life experience could be more respected or
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2013
WHAT’S GOING ON AT THE PROBATION INSTITUTE?
What’s going on at the
Probation Institute?
An update from Helen Schofield, Acting CEO.
As readers will note, this is the last issue of the There is no doubt that this is a critical period for
Probation Quarterly to be edited by Professor Probation, in which practitioners, managers and
Anne Worrall. Anne took over this role in 2017 leaders will all share in building future success.
and has transformed the PQ into an accessible,
busy, stimulating publication widely read across We are pleased to see the important
the justice sector. The Probation Institute announcement by MOJ of the rehabilitation
extends our thanks to Anne and we are pleased services worth £200 million contracted for
that she will continue as a member of our average periods of three years under the
Research Committee helping to steer our research Dynamic Framework. These services including
work and arrange research events. We are personal support, employment, training and
delighted to be welcoming Dr Jake Phillips from accommodation must now work collaboratively
Sheffield Hallam University to become the new with Probation Practitioners to ensure that the
editor of PQ ; Jake has co-edited this issue and we funding reaches service users and makes a real
look forward to him taking the publication from difference to their lives going forward. Clinks
strength to strength. Professor Paul Senior would have pointed to the sucess of a number of larger
be very pleased by this development. voluntary sector organisations whilst the small,
local and perhaps most dynamic organisations
As this is the last issue of the Probation have had little success. Indeed we understand
Quarterly before Unification of the Probation that many simply did not bid as the contracting
Service we are pleased to see that much of process was not perceived to be at their level.
the infrastructure is coming into place, albeit
that some will take longer to complete. In In thinking about the future, we are looking at
our discussions with the Reform Team, with the opportunities offered to us by becoming a
Inspectors, Probation Advisory Boards we will be Charitable Incorporated Organisation – a charity
watching some areas closely, including workloads, which is able to trade. This change would require
recruitment, qualifying training and continuous our members to be more active in electing
professional development, court work, use of the Trustees and steering the work of the Institute
commissioned services, greater use of community more firmly. We will write more fully on this as we
sentences, stronger work with black and minority go forward but we would be pleased to hear of
ethnic individuals, young people and also with any views about such a change.
families, and service user engagement. We will
also be continuing our pressure to establish Readers may like to see the Annual Report from
professional registration and regulation, as this the Probation Institute. Also the most recent
is an important, if challenging time to introduce Position Paper on “Use of the Protocol for Pre-
registration with recognised, supported CPD. Sentence Report before Plea”.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2014
A PERSONAL VIEW OF LICENCE AND RECALL
A personal view of licence and recall
David Breakspear from Revolving Doors Lived Experience Team, reflects on
being a person under probation supervision.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2015
A PERSONAL VIEW OF LICENCE AND RECALL
I would like to begin by letting you know I write the policies. I would like to see sentences of
understand that to do what needs to be done 12 months or less abolished for several reasons
is weighed down by the heavy caseloads which and the benefits I can see for the NPS are many,
probation officers are given. This also makes but the most important aspect is the amount
time a precious commodity, especially the time of time which would be freed up for POs to be
to spend with supervised individuals. I am also able to do the job they joined up for, instead of
aware of the utopian vision regarding reducing feeding a revolving door of going in and out of
reoffending. A complex algorithm that sees me, prison.
after, coincidentally, being out of prison for the
same amount of time I was sentenced to in 2015 Is there a risk to be managed regarding those
- 3 years 9 months - finally having an effect on who are mainly responsible for the draining of
the statistics. probation’s resources, or are there needs to be
met in reducing their chances of reoffending?
From my perspective, I have seen the relationship Probation officers need to focus on:
between probation and supervised individuals
suffer since they made determinate prison 1. Building trust – recognising that distrust
sentences a 50-50 affair. Half in, half out on is rife and power imbalances exist.
licence. Between 2019 and 2020 there were Perhaps peer support is a solution.
approximately 27,000 recalls. A figure which Reducing Reoffending Partnership’s
to outside observers may seem high, but, with Transition and Hope peer mentoring
on average 60,000 people released from prison project is a perfect example.
each year, and the percentage reoffending, it 2. Taking the time to really understand
is not that shocking. However, a figure which people before it is too late. Find out
does shock me, and one that further damages what the real needs are, not just the risk
the important relationship between the PO and factors that might lead to reoffending.
supervised individual (SI) is that almost 9,000 More trauma informed, more detailed
of those 27,000 were on a short sentence assessments, that are genuinely done
licence. This figure also shows there are a together, will require more time, less
disproportionate number of women among the rushing, and less box ticking.
9,000. Most of those people could be better 3. Showing empathy, and building it into
and safely supported on community orders. the system, making probation more
Those serving longer sentences are less likely humane. Make the service more flexible
to reoffend than their short term counterparts and meet people where they are at,
probably because they had the time in prison to understanding that the underlying
get their individual needs met. causes of crime, like poverty and
trauma, or the resulting mental health,
We all know that reoffending is most prevalent homelessness, and addiction, is never
among those who serve sentences of 12 months going to be an easy fix.
or less, and we also know that 9,000 of those
were recalled back to prison. By no means do I When you are a part of a jigsaw there is always
blame probation officers for that - they do not the bigger picture.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2016
UNDER PRESSURE: CASELOAD, WORKLOAD AND STAFFING IN PROBATION SERVICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Under pressure:
caseload, workload and staffing in
probation services in England and Wales
Kevin Ball, Senior Research Officer, HM Inspectorate of Probation.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2017
UNDER PRESSURE: CASELOAD, WORKLOAD AND STAFFING IN PROBATION SERVICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES
HM Inspectorate of Probation’s inspectors
interview hundreds of probation officers and
probation service officers every year to inform
our inspections and capture the lived reality of
rehabilitation and public protection work.
A recurring theme in these conversations since
the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms has
been the anxiety, stress and fear created by
unmanageable workloads.
Our recently published Research and Analysis
Bulletin is an attempt to understand the
complexity of caseload, workload and staffing
issues in probation services in England and Kevin Ball
Wales. The report is based on an analysis of Senior Research Officer
official statistics, and our datasets of over 3,000 HM Inspectorate of Probation
case inspections and over 2,000 probation
staff interviews. In addition, we held a series of
interviews and focus groups with senior leaders
in both Community Rehabilitation Companies complex spectrum of service user needs and
(CRCs) and the National Probation Service risks. Nevertheless, the unified service should
(NPS) to look at the future prospects for the be mindful that the aims of probation can be
probation service and working patterns. We undermined as caseloads approach and exceed
also commissioned Manchester Metropolitan 50 cases. As one CRC leader put it:
University to review and summarise the
international evidence on probation caseloads. “more than 45 cases is just too many life
Our key finding is that the quality of work to stories to try to absorb.”
support rehabilitation and public protection is
impaired when probation workers hold a caseload These findings are cited in the recent House
of 50 or more cases. Staff and managers agreed of Commons Justice Committee report on the
that 50 to 60 cases should be the ceiling for future of the probation service,1 leading to their
an individual caseload. A single ‘magic number’ recommendation that:
for caseload size cannot be set as there are
too many variables in play such as the levels of “the Ministry of Justice commit to ensuring
administrative support, the interventions and that individual caseloads do not exceed a
services that can be accessed, and the wide and baseline figure of 50.”
1
House of Commons Justice Committee. (2021). The future of the probation service eighteenth report of session 2019–21 (https://committees.parliament.uk/work/466/
the-future-of-the-probation-service).
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2018
UNDER PRESSURE: CASELOAD, WORKLOAD AND STAFFING IN PROBATION SERVICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Figure 1 – Our key findings
The impact of workloads on individual officers Some staff told us they wanted to leave the
was distressing to read. Many told us of being “at profession, a senior probation officer stating:
breaking point”, of feeling “burnt out” and being
in a “state of panic” about their working life. “[it] is a hostile environment… A job that was
Some told us they were not supported by their done by two people is now done by one.”
managers and organisations. As this CRC officer
told us: We found a strong relationship between caseload
size and critical elements of probation work as
“I’ve put in stress forms and they’ve been shown in Figure 2. Staff with unmanageable
ignored. I have given up putting them in workloads were aware of their inability to deliver
now.” a good quality service, and to develop and
maintain the all-important relationships with
Other staff told us they felt they could not go on service users. One probation officer in the NPS
sick leave despite severe stress because they stated:
would feel guilty about adding to the burden of
colleagues. “I feel exhausted and scared that if there is
a Serious Further Offence, I will be unable
to defend my decisions.”
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2019
UNDER PRESSURE: CASELOAD, WORKLOAD AND STAFFING IN PROBATION SERVICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Figure 2 – Probation inspector judgements on the quality of delivery by caseload number
Proportion of positive judgements
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
84%
Is the sentence/post/custody period implemented effectively
with a focus on engaging the service user?
71%
63%
Does the implementation and delivery of services effectively
support the service user’s desistance?
52%
59%
In relevant cases, does the implementation and delivery of
services effectively support the safety of other people?
43%
Up to 50 cases Over 50 cases
We end our report by looking at some promising working from home in the new unified service. All
developments to improve the situation. Many of the senior leaders we spoke to were impressed
these initiatives were found in the CRCs, and it is and grateful to all staff for their resilience and
important that these are carried forward into the hard work in these extraordinary times. As an NPS
unified service: leader put it:
• administrative support hubs found in “everyone has been remarkable, we never
some CRCs took away from the frontline stopped.”
much of the paperwork and data entry for
court work and scheduling and monitoring Moving forward, the success of the unified
programme interventions. service, which launches in June, ultimately
• community hubs (which we covered in depends upon a realistic financial settlement
another report) encourage compliance and for probation. The new service must be able to
access to wider services. recruit, train and support sufficient qualified
• co-location of agencies, again more staff to deliver the blended caseloads that
common in the CRCs, reduced workload by practitioners will be managing once again. As
encouraging sharing information and easing stated by our Chief Inspector, Justin Russell:
referrals to other services.
• employing support workers with lived “We will pay close attention to plans to
experience encouraged compliance and recruit more staff and introduce more
take-up of services amongst some CRC balanced caseloads. This is a critical
service users. opportunity to reduce workload pressures
and raise the quality of supervision and
The Covid-19 pandemic has ‘opened the eyes’ support.”
of the senior probation leaders we interviewed
to the possibilities of remote supervision, more Read the full report on HM Inspectorate of
home visits, digital delivery of interventions, and Probation’s website
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2020
DOMESTIC ABUSE IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PROBATION PRACTICE
‘Double Jeopardy’
Domestic abuse in ethnic minority
communities and implications for
probation practice
Stacey Musimbe-Rix, KSS CRC Research and Policy
Unit, summarises recent research.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2021
DOMESTIC ABUSE IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PROBATION PRACTICE
Though perhaps most commonly understood as intersection of gender and race, and therefore
a legal term, “double jeopardy” was also used experiencing different layers of oppression.
by Frances Beale in 1969 to describe the plight BAME communities largely face obstacles due
faced by black women due to their race and to their race, and this is particularly evident
gender. 52 years on, the Black Lives Movement within the criminal justice system, where there
(BLM) has brought the structural inequality faced is a noticeable disparity in the treatment of
by ethnic minority communities to the forefront. minority communities compared to their white
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an counterparts.
exponential rise in domestic abuse (DA) cases
and has further widened the gap between white ‘Minoritised women are not fairly treated
and minority ethnic victims. It is important, by the police, and their interactions and
therefore, as practitioners, to examine how race access to justice needs to be reviewed in
and DA intersect, and what implications this has the criminal justice system, as a whole.
for our work with DA survivors from minority It cannot be separated from a wider
communities. context of institutional racism, which has
led to historic and current over-policing,
This article draws on research undertaken by surveillance, and hyper-visibility of BAME
KSS CRC Research and Policy Unit, entitled communities within the criminal justice
‘Domestic Abuse in Black, Asian and Minority system.’ (Lovatt et al., 2020:2)
Ethnic Groups’, and published on their website
in October 2020. Readers wishing to explore the Institutional racism within the CJS, particularly the
topic further can access this research at: police force, has been well documented since the
www.ksscrc.co.uk inception of the Macpherson Report. Institutional
racism can be found in the dichotomy of actions
Domestic abuse is a prevalent issue in probation and inactions by the CJS. On one hand BAME
practice, and is widely accepted as one of the root communities are subjected to over-policing of
causes for female criminality. DA affects victims acquisitive and non-intimate violent offences,
in comparable ways, but there is evidence to whilst on the other, domestic abuse is under-
suggest that those from minority backgrounds, policed due to ‘multiculturalism’ (Siddiqui 2018).
particularly from migrant communities, are Siddiqui highlighted that terms such as these are
disproportionately impacted. The Office for often ‘veiled language’ used to justify a non-
National Statistics (2019) data shows that in the interventionist approach in minority communities,
year 2018-2019, the rates of DA were highest particularly in instances of Honour Based
amongst minority communities, particularly those Violence (HBV). HBV is defined by Safelives
of mixed ethnicity. (undated: 15) as:
‘a collective and planned crime or incident,
Race and experiences of criminal mainly perpetrated against women and
justice girls, by their family or their community,
who act to defend their perceived honour,
Crenshaw (1991) coined the term because they believe that the victim(s) have
‘intersectionality’ to describe the multiple barriers done something to bring shame to the
faced by Black women due to existing on the family or the community.’
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2022
DOMESTIC ABUSE IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PROBATION PRACTICE
Indeed, the very high profile cases of Banaz BAME victims can often suffer longer before
Mahmod and Shafliea Ahmed have shown us the disclosing domestic abuse, particularly to
institutional failings of a ‘non-interventionist’ professionals (Safelives, undated).
approach when dealing with HBV in minority
communities.
Financial vulnerability, DA, and BAME
Moreover, placing a positive responsibility on women
minority communities to deal with a public
issue (Siddiqui, 2018) does very little to restore Financial insecurity can compound the effects
confidence in the criminal justice system. HBV of DA. BAME women are more economically
like other forms of domestic abuse is a public vulnerable compared to their white counterparts
issue, and the onus should not be on the victim and the COVID-19 pandemic has only served to
to redress the harms caused. The sensitive way widen the gap. Over twice as many BAME women
of dealing with HBV is through what Siddiqui and men reported losing financial support from
(2018) calls ‘mature multiculturalism’, which the government (42.5% / 48.3%) compared with
acknowledges the diverse cultures in minority white women and men (12.7% / 20.6%) (Fawcett
communities and sensitively intervenes to tackle Society, 2020). For some migrant women with
abusive practices such as HBV. Despite some no recourse to public funds (NRPF), lost jobs
progress being made in tackling HBV, there is during the pandemic has meant reliance on
still evidence to suggest that many professionals their perpetrators, and subsequently exposure
feel ill equipped to identify warning signs and to economic abuse. This has also forced some
behaviours that constitute HBV (Safelives, victims to stay in abusive relationships as they
undated). A lack of awareness can lead to a lack have found it difficult to, or been unable to,
of appropriate intervention which weakens BAME access benefits (such as refuge) that might
victims’ trust in professionals. enable them to move on (Imkaan, 2020). It has
been well documented that during the pandemic
The history of distrust between BAME refuge spaces , which are publicly funded, have
communities and the CJS makes it more likely been largely inaccessible for migrant women with
that BAME women would seek informal sources NRPF (Imkaan, 2020).
of support before turning to the police (Imkaan,
2020). Beyond the police, there is evidence of
The responsibility of probation to
some public services and charities being directly
discriminatory towards BAME victims (Lovatt et BAME victims
al., 2020). Research from Safelives (undated)
has shown that some BAME individuals were In order to perform its rehabilitative function
apprehensive about disclosing the abuse due effectively, probation needs to be a safe space for
to ‘specific issues related to racism including service users, paying particular attention to those
stereotypes about refugees and migrants’. who are also victims of domestic abuse. Limited
knowledge of BAME communities (Lovatt et al.,
It can also be difficult for individuals from 2020) can lead to stereotyping and inappropriate
minority communities to disclose, due to the responses.
strong notion of protecting the community and
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2023
DOMESTIC ABUSE IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PROBATION PRACTICE
It is incumbent upon professionals such It is important that professionals responding to
as probation staff to not only increase DA in BAME communities continue to challenge
their knowledge base but to treat minority institutional racism, receive training on working
communities as stakeholders in their own safety with BAME communities, strive for representation
and work with them and BAME organisations in their organisation, and invest funding in BAME
in order to create appropriate safety plans. A organisations. Moreover, more funded refuge
‘one size fits all approach’ is not appropriate spaces and economic initiatives might be needed
for individuals from minority groups, and for BAME victims in order to redress economic
professionals need to adapt their practice to disadvantage. Ultimately, domestic abuse cannot
ensure that they are working in sensitive, holistic be tackled in isolation without addressing the
and culturally appropriate ways, remembering inequality facing BAME people. Institutional
that BAME victims are not homogenous. racism and structural inequality perpetuates
victimhood and our silence and inaction risks
Furthermore, it is important to tackle structural further disenfranchising an already marginalised
inequality at individual and organisational levels. group.
In order to redress longstanding structural
inequalities on a macro level, the CJS might be
best placed to look at more rehabilitative instead
References
of retributive models of justice for BAME victims
Crenshaw, K. (1991) ‘Mapping the Margins:
of domestic abuse. The Ministry of Justice
Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Violence against
recognised the need for diversionary approaches
Women of Color.’ Stanford Law Review, 43, pp. 1241–
for female victims of trauma including victims
1245.
of domestic abuse and it feels particularly
important for BAME individuals, who face double
Fawcett Society (2020) BAME Women and COVID-19.
disadvantage due to their race and gender.
Accessed from: https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/
coronavirus-impact-on-bame-women
Moving forward
Imkaan (2020) the Impact of the Dual Pandemics:
As this brief exploration into this important Violence against Women & Girls and COVID-19 on Black
topic has shown, DA disproportionately affects and Minoritised Women & Girls
those from minority ethnic groups due to long
standing structural inequalities. The pandemic Lovatt, J., Gager. And Ramji, F. (2020) ‘We are Invisible-
has further entrenched these inequalities, The experiences of BAME Women.’ Accessed from
particularly for those with no recourse to public https://freedomnews.org.uk/we-are-invisible-the-
funds. BAME victims are different to their white experiences-of-women-in-the-criminal-justice-system/
counterparts and they need to be treated as such.
An intersectional lens should be applied when Safelives (undated) Your Choice: ‘honour’-based
working with victims of DA, remembering that violence, forced marriage and domestic abuse.
each individual brings with them a unique set of Accessed from https://safelives.org.uk/spotlight-4-
oppressions. The evidence shows us that there is honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
still a long way to go in tackling abusive practices
in minority communities. Siddiqui, H. (2018) ‘Counting the Cost: BME Women and
Gender-Based Violence in the UK’, IPPR Progressive
Review, 24(4), pp. 361–368.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2024
EXPERIENCES OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION IN PRISON
‘We’ve all got a big story’:
Experiences of a trauma-informed
intervention in prison
Madeline Petrillo, University of Greenwich,
discusses her recent research.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2025
EXPERIENCES OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION IN PRISON
Victimisation and trauma are prevalent among
women in the justice system and are often not
perceived to be amenable to criminal justice
intervention. There are compelling arguments
that prison and probation are inappropriate
settings for trauma-informed programmes
because trauma responses can be induced not
only by experiencing traumatic events but also
by other adversity, including imprisonment
(Petrillo 2021). In 2018, I undertook research
exploring women’s experiences of participating
in Healing Trauma, a gender-responsive, trauma-
informed intervention currently delivered across
the women’s custodial estate as part of the
Becoming Trauma Informed (BTI) initiative. Madeline Petrillo
This article introduces the principles of trauma- University of Greenwich
informed practice and interventions and the key
findings from this research, concluding with some
of the implications for probation practice.
freedom technique, mindfulness, and expressive
Becoming trauma informed arts. Uniquely, the programme is peer-facilitated;
specially trained Prison Officers (BTI Leads)
The BTI initiative identifies the values and train and supervise current prison residents to
principles of trauma-informed practice that deliver the intervention. Women self-refer to the
should form the foundation of organisational programme or are invited to participate by BTI
interaction with women in the justice system. Leads. Participation is voluntary and cannot be
It details standards for ‘enabling environments’ enforced as part of a sentence plan.
and the roles and personal qualities of staff
involved in trauma-informed, gender-responsive
service delivery, based on Harris and Fallot’s Trauma-informed practice and
(2001) principles for developing trauma-informed gender responsivity
service delivery systems. These principles
are safety, choice, trust, collaboration, and Trauma-informed interventions for women differ
empowerment. Interventions such as Healing from traditional rehabilitative programmes in
Trauma represent one aspect of trauma-informed that they are intentionally gender-responsive.
service delivery. The approaches are underpinned by theories
of ‘complex trauma.’ Complex trauma refers to
The Healing Trauma intervention comprises six, trauma that occurs repeatedly and cumulatively
90-minute, weekly sessions in closed groups over a period of time, often resulting from abuse
of up to ten women. It adopts an approach that within the family and other intimate relationships
incorporates cognitive behavioural therapy, from which the victim cannot physically or
relational therapy, guided imagery, emotional psychologically escape.
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2026
EXPERIENCES OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION IN PRISON
Trauma-informed practice in women’s prisons trauma. The strategy contains a commitment to
in England is based on Stephanie Covington implementing a trauma-informed approach to
and Barbara Bloom’s (2007:12-14) principles of working with women in the justice system.
gender-responsive practice for criminal justice
agencies:
Healing Trauma evaluation
• acknowledge that gender matters in
A pilot evaluation of Healing Trauma in seven
women’s experiences of offending and the
women’s prisons was conducted during 2018. It
justice system,
involved pre and post group tests that measured
• create a women-only environment based on
changes in symptoms of trauma, followed by
safety, respect, and dignity,
focus groups discussions on completion of the
• develop policies, practices, and programmes
intervention. The extent of histories of abuse and
that are relational and that promote healthy
victimisation among the women involved in the
connections to children, family members,
study was high and most had experienced more
significant others, and the community,
than one type of abuse. Of the thirty participants,
• address substance misuse, trauma,
twenty-five had experienced domestic abuse
and mental health issues through
including twenty who had experienced sexual
comprehensive, integrated, and culturally
assault by an intimate partner. Seventeen had
relevant services and supervision,
experienced childhood abuse including physical
• provide women with opportunities to
abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Six had
improve their socioeconomic conditions,
experienced sexual assault other than childhood
• establish a system of comprehensive and
and intimate partner abuse.
collaborative community services.
Pre and post programme questionnaires were
Trauma-informed practice in prison used as a way of formally recording changes
participants had anecdotally commented upon
The government’s ‘Female Offender Strategy’ as a benefit of the intervention. They revealed
(Ministry of Justice, 2018) echoes the Corston noteworthy reductions in symptoms of trauma
Report’s (2007) findings that women in the including depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep
justice system can be particularly vulnerable disturbance, dissociation, anger, and aggression
in both the multiplicity and complexity of their following completion of Healing Trauma.
needs. Many lead lifestyles characterised by The focus groups allowed the participants to
multiple disadvantage including substance reflect on participating in Healing Trauma in order
misuse, mental illness, homelessness, economic to explore the experiences behind the reported
deprivation, and offending behaviour that are reductions in trauma symptoms.
frequently the product of histories of abuse and
PROBATION QUARTERLY ISSUE 2027
EXPERIENCES OF A TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION IN PRISON
The focus groups were participant led but I asked achieving a measure of success. But the women
the women to reflect on three key themes, articulate this much better than I ever could so,
as an example, I asked the groups if they had the
• their experiences of Healing Trauma, ear of the Prison’s Minister, what they would say
• the changes they perceived in themselves to him about Healing Trauma and this was Helen’s
as a result of the intervention, response:
• and the main learning they would take from
the programme. “Anyone who’s come to prison, and I
personally really think especially women,
The analysis consolidated around the theme of haven’t just come here because they’re
sharing stories or ‘opening up’, and reciprocal bored or haven’t got something better
processes between this and overcoming to do. It’s normally really serious trauma
shame and isolation, reconnecting with they’ve undergone…We need to treat
their emotional selves, feeling empowered, symptoms of that and the Healing Trauma
and creating a safe space in the prison really does that, and it makes you a
environment. The full report on the evaluation human again and puts you back in touch
includes lots of verbatim quotes from the women, with those feelings that you boxed away
and their insights and reflections on their and told yourself you weren’t allowed to
experiences are powerful. Despite the undisputed feel. And if we want to release people as
harms associated with imprisonment, the focus functioning members of society, we need to
groups revealed that women’s past experiences give them that chance to heal.”
of victimisation and trauma can be amenable to
intervention within a criminal justice context.
The changes women want to make to their lives
Implications for Probation
after prison are rarely framed as striving to
Trauma lingers in the body and can be triggered
terminate offending behaviours. Instead ‘success’
by what survivors see, hear, feel, and smell
is defined as building relationships, addressing
(van der Kolk, 2015). The intrusive sensory
substance misuse problems, stabilising mental
experience of imprisonment can both exacerbate
health difficulties, and achieving a ‘normal’ life
existing trauma and be itself traumatising
(Heidemann, Cederbaum and Martinez, 2016).
(Jewkes et al., 2019). In England and Wales, the
The women in this study attest to the value of
disproportionately high levels of self-harm and
trauma-informed interventions in awakening
suicide among women in prison give lie to the
these aspirations, and in the case of building
idea of prison as a safe, healing space.
relationships and stabilising mental health,
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