A West Midlands probation service must improve the quality of its public protection work, according to inspectors.

HM Inspectorate of Probation inspected Staffordshire and West Midlands Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) last autumn. Inspectors looked at 10 aspects of the CRC’s work and gave an overall ‘Requires improvement’ rating.

The CRC supervises more than 12,600 low and medium-risk offenders. These individuals are preparing to leave or have left prison, or are serving community sentences.

Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “We returned to Staffordshire and West Midlands CRC almost a year after our previous inspection. There have been some signs of progress but the overall rating stays the same, which is disappointing.”

Inspectors found there had been a “deterioration” in the quality of case management since the last inspection.

Mr Russell said: “Probation services need to strike the right balance between rehabilitation and public protection.

“We inspected a sample of cases and looked at how staff assess, plan, deliver and review activity with individuals under probation supervision. Serious concerns remain about the quality of this work.

“The management of risk of harm was not good enough at every stage of supervision. Therefore, we have rated all four aspects that we inspect ‘Inadequate’ – our lowest possible grade.”

Inspectors found staff were “demoralised” and high levels of sickness absence was the norm.

At the time of the inspection, probation staff managed an average of 64 cases each. Almost 70 per cent of interviewed staff said their workloads were unmanageable.

Inspectors did note the CRC has some strengths.

The strongest area of performance is the Through the Gate service, which supports people as they prepare to leave prison and resettle in the community. Inspectors noted “a marked improvement” in the service compared to the previous visit and rated this work ‘Outstanding’. The CRC has received additional funding from central government for this scheme. The Through the Gate service now has “good leadership, good staff supervision, and well-trained and motivated staff”.

Inspectors found the quality of work to help individuals under probation supervision access education, training and employment was also delivered to a high standard.

The CRC has helped more than 3,000 people to secure jobs since 2016. Inspectors praised the CRC’s “forward-looking and successful” approach to supporting people to get into work.

Inspectors were also impressed by the availability of bespoke services for women across the region. Third-sector organisations deliver these services to help women improve their lives and avoid offending in the future.

Staffordshire and West Midlands CRC is owned by the Reducing Reoffending Partnership, which comprises one private company and two charities. The partnership also owns neighbouring Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland CRC.

The National Probation Service, which will take over the management of all offenders in the community from next year has started work with the Reducing Reoffending Partnership to plan this transition and inspectors noted this relationship is working well.

Inspectors have made five recommendations with the aim of improving probation services in the region.

ENDS

Notes to editor

1. The report is available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 05 March 2020 00.01.
2. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth offending and probation services across England and Wales.
3. Staffordshire and West Midlands Community Rehabilitation Company supervised 12,694 cases as of June 2019.
4. The Reducing Reoffending Partnership is made up of Ingeus (a private company, now owned by APM) and two charities: St Giles Trust and Change, Grow, Live.
5. Fieldwork for this inspection took place between September and November 2019.
6. For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications Catherine Chan on 07889 405930 or media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)