Probation Service's efforts to protect victims rated inadequate

A new report has found that the work of the Probation Service in England and Wales to keep people safe is "consistently insufficient." The annual report from HM Inspectorate of Probation highlights staff shortages affecting the service’s ability to help offenders and protect victims. The report reviewed 24 probation units and found that 14 were rated as "inadequate" and 10 "requires improvement." Inspections in regions like Kent, Surrey, Sussex, East of England, and Yorkshire also indicated a need for improvements, specifically in supporting people on probation to avoid reoffending. Chief probation inspector Martin Jones expressed serious concerns about managing risk and keeping potential victims safe. He emphasized that much work is required to improve the protection of individuals facing domestic abuse and child safeguarding issues. For example, only half of child safeguarding cases had enough information gathered for monitoring. Jones pointed out that the service is struggling with too few experienced staff handling too many cases. Although there have been recruitment efforts, vacancies remain high, especially for probation officers. The Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, recently outlined plans to hire 1,300 new probation officers by March 2026, alongside investing in technology to reduce paperwork. The aim is to allow more time for staff to supervise offenders effectively. Jones believes any changes to sentencing must ensure that the Probation Service has enough resources to manage the cases effectively for public safety. A national inspection of the Probation Service will be released soon. In response to the report, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson acknowledged the challenges faced and reaffirmed the commitment to hiring new staff and focusing on high-risk offenders to enhance public safety.