The probation service is not effectively reducing the potential harm perpetrated by men against women and children, inspectors have warned.
Probation services in the East of England received an overall regional rating of ‘requires improvement’ from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.
Its report highlights chronic staffing issues across the region, despite a sustained effort to recruit.
Senior probation officers had excessive workloads and vast responsibilities which were greater than what they could reasonably be expected to deliver, it added.
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Martin Jones, chief inspector of probation, said: “While the commitment and dedication of leaders and staff across the region was found to be unwavering, this commitment and dedication is not amounting to sufficient measures in keeping the public safe or encouraging people on probation to change.”
Inspectors examined each probation delivery unit in the region between February and June, reviewing 438 cases, 289 subject to a community sentence and 149 subject to release on licence.
Inspectors warned many of the risk assessments inspected were being completed without referencing information about child safeguarding and domestic abuse.
In addition checks to ensure home address curfews did not pose a risk to women or children living there were not always being done.
Urgent improvements needed to information sharing with police and local authorities which inspectors said were too complex and inefficient, impacting the quality of the risk assessments taking place.
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Mr Jones added: “Many of the concerns found are ones we have raised in our previous inspections and thematic reports.
“We hope HM Prison and Probation Service reflect carefully on our findings to support regions in delivering an acceptable level of service for people on probation and victims of crime.”
The Ministry of Justice said there was a "huge strain on probation staff whose hard work, despite these challenges, is rightfully recognised by inspectors".
An extra 1,000 probation officers were being recruited nationwide to reduce workloads and “better protect the public and cut crime”, it added.
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