Community Justice Files 29
| Author | Dr Nick Flynn |
| Pages | 69-75 |
69
COMMUNITY JUSTICE FILES 29
Edited by Nick Flynn, De Montfort University
Reforming Offender Management Services
In January of this year, a Ministry of Justice consultation paper, Transforming
Rehabilitation: A revolution in the way we man age offenders was published calling for
responses to a proposed strategy for the future delivery and commissioning of probation
services. This builds on a previous consultation paper, Punishment and Reform: Effective
Probation Services, published in March 2012. The overall case for reform made in the
paper is the often heard, traditional one. Seeking to harness both retributivist and
utilitarian responses to cri me, it is for a criminal justice system that “punishes people
properly when they break the law – and also supports them to get their lives back on track,
so they don’t commit crime again in the future”. Aiming “to go straight to the heart of the
issue”, the intention is to bring about a revolution in the way offenders are managed in
the community by “extending competition of probation services” via a “new
commissioning model to deliver better rehabilitation outcomes and value for money”.
The core proposals include:
The opening up of community orders and licence requi rements for low and
medium ri sk offenders to a diverse market of contracted private and voluntary
sector providers. Through making payments in full only on the basis that a
sufficient reduction in reoffending is quantitatively evidenced, providers will be
incentivised “to focus relentlessly on rehabilitating offenders”. Accepting th e
need to support smaller organisations without the resources to bear the upfront
costs required to operate effectively under the payment by results funding
scheme, the National Offender Management Service will invest £ 500k to develop
and execute a capacity b uilding action plan for the voluntary and community
sector. It is also accepted that a simple binary measure of desistance in offending
could encourage providers to ‘cherry p ick’ those offenders least likely to
reoffend. Therefore, ways will be considered to ensure providers engage with “all
offenders, even the most problematic repeat offender s”. Emphasising the need
for greater flexibility and discretion in th e delivery of rehabilitative services, the
Ministry of Justice expects new providers to support offenders before and after
release from prison to find accommodation and employment, access mental
British Journal of Community Justice
©2013 Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
ISSN 1475-0279
Vol. 10(3):69-75
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