The Probation Service is facing a shortfall of around 10,000 staff to help manage offenders released into the community, it has emerged.
Less than 12 months after Labour introduced its early release scheme to ease prison overcrowding, a leaked report has revealed the huge shortfall in probation staff numbers to deal with those who have been released from jail.
Probation staff monitor offenders in the community by assessing their risk of reoffending and ensuring they are adhering to curfews, wearing necessary tags and avoiding drugs or alcohol.
In February, the Ministry of Justice [MoJ] warned that the high workloads endured by under-pressure probation staff has led to ‘missed warning signs’ and seen offenders released into the community going on to ‘commit serious further offences, including murder.’
This prompted the government to recruit 1,000 trainee probation officers last year and it is planning to recruit 1,300 more by next April.
