New knife crime toolkit

The toolkit is aimed at staff in Youth Offending Teams for young people on court orders or prevention programmes, and at youth workers, Early Help and other social care officers, teachers and school staff and staff in secure settings. The Toolkit has been designed by BraveSpace, a youth justice consultancy… The Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) has just published a new Knife Crime Toolkit designed for professionals to use with children and young people who are at risk of carrying or using a knife. ...

Procedural justice and problem-solving practice in the Youth Court

Last Friday (28 May), the probation inspectorate published the most recent in its now extensive series of Academic Insights, in which it commissions leading academics to present their views on specific topics, in order to promote informed debate and aid the understanding of what helps and what hinders probation and… Work with offenders looks at the latest in HM Inspectorate of Probation’s Academic Insights series....

What is the serious violence duty?

Three years ago, in April 2018, the government published its Serious Violence Strategy in response to increases in knife crime, gun crime and homicide across England. The strategy called for local partners to work together across different sectors including the police, local authorities, health services and the voluntary sector to… Work with offenders on the latest government guidance on new responsibility...

Reoffending rates drop

Last week’s “Proven Re-offending” statistics from the Ministry of Justice and Office for National Statistics provide some welcome – and not particularly expected – good news for those working in the criminal justice system. These statistics are published on a quarterly basis and today’s figures cover everyone who was convicted… Work with offenders examines the latest MoJ statistics which reveal a surprising drop in the proven reoffending rate...

Missing children vulnerable to exploitation

76,000 children are reported missing every year in the UK, yet many more missing episodes go unreported, meaning children at risk of exploitation are falling through the net. The organisation Missing People has analysed the most common reasons for children to be missing. The organisation runs a helpline and the… May 25 was International Missing Children’s Day. Work with offenders looks at the issues...

Government announces new offender rehabilitation contracts

The Ministry of Justice has announced the long-awaited results from the new probation commissioning system designed to engage specialist organisations to provide a range of services to people supervised by the probation service. The announcement, which comes just five weeks before the public and private components of the service are… Work with offenders on details of the new probation contracts...

New concerns over probation officer numbers after reunification

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) workforce quarterly statistics are not normally the most exciting read. But today’s edition will have found a wider readership than usual. With the reunification of the probation service just five weeks away (D Day is 26 June), there are mounting concerns about whether… Work with offenders interrogates the latest workforce figures...

The courts are not protecting vulnerable witnesses

Today’s new report by the Victims’ Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, examines the provision of protections for vulnerable and intimidated victims, known as ‘special measures.’ The Commissioner found the current system is not working as well as it could with victims and witnesses falling through the gaps and not being… Work with offenders looks at today’s report from Victims’ Commission Dame Vera Baird...

The challenges of being released from prison

A new report published today by the Fulfilling Lives team focuses on how the process of prison release for people experiencing multiple disadvantage could be improved. The Fulfilling Lives programme The National Lottery Community Fund has invested £112 million over 8 years in the Fulfilling Lives programme which consists of… Work with offenders on new research on prison release for people experiencing multiple disadvantage...

Inspectors raise concerns about staffing for new probation service

A new report published today by the probation inspectorate finds that the plans to reunify the probation service are broadly on track but raises some concerns around staffing and services. The report: “A thematic review of work to prepare for the unification of probation services” examined how senior leaders, managers… Work with offenders on today’s report on plans for reunification...