Brochure of Probation Interventions

Handbook for Members of the Judiciary

December 2022

Introduction

This brochure provides information about the services, interventions, and rehabilitative sentencing options available in each Probation Region for adults sentenced to Community and Suspended Sentence Orders. It updates the previous version issued in June 2021.

On 26th June 2021, the National Probation Service and 21 Community Rehabilitation Services came together to form a new Probation Service for England and Wales. The Probation Service has multiple aims, as set out in law. These relate to protecting the public, empowering individuals who commit crimes to make positive changes, reducing the likelihood of re-offending, addressing the harm caused by the offence and facilitating appropriate punishment.

The use of targeted community sentencing options enables individuals to address specific needs, break patterns of offending, address the causes of offending behaviour and keep the public safe. The brochure supplements information provided by our professionals situated in Court and in pre-sentence reports.

Sentence planning and Sentence Management

There is a significant body of research about the critical role that probation practitioners can play in motivating and supporting positive change of individuals through building strong, meaningful relationships. Alongside the trusting working relationship, a focus on delivering the right services and interventions at the right time, will help individuals to successfully complete their sentences and lead law-abiding and positive lives following their supervision period. Sentence plans, devised in collaboration with the person on probation, address identified needs and risks, specify how the sentence of the court will be delivered, as well as the role and expectations of others involved in the delivery of the sentence.

In addition to ensuring that the requirements of an Order are carried out, including taking enforcement action where necessary, practitioners can also deliver “sentence management” appointments. These contacts may be used for the purpose of assessment and planning, enforcement, reviewing progress against the sentence plan, addressing risk concerns or safeguarding issues, supporting compliance, investigation of intelligence, providing information, building or sustaining motivation to change, signposting and referrals, and/or general monitoring.

These contacts are legally enforceable. Orders which include a RAR allow for ongoing planned sentence management appointments, to the end of the Order; for orders without a RAR, sentence management appointments either have to be arranged as part of a specific requirement (whilst this is active) or triggered by the probation duty to ‘keep in touch’ with the person on probation, once the requirements have all completed.

Use the links below to access the brochure for your region and see the full range of available probation interventions.