The Probation Service and Remand Services
| Date | 01 December 1999 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059904600415 |
| Published date | 01 December 1999 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
service to the next, while their condition
The Hypothecated Grant - In the early to
worsens and the risk to self or others
mid-1990s, the Home Office offered a
increases (30.9.99).
ring-fenced or ’hypothecated’ grant for
remand services, which had the effect of
Jan Dymond
doubling the number of probation services
Probation Officer, Inner London and
actively involved in delivery of remand
Lecturer, London School of Economics
services. Over two-thirds of probation
services applied for the grant and all were
successful. However, the financial
The Probation
incentives offered by the grant were not
supported by a wider strategy to promote
Service and
knowledge of remand services in the
Probation Service. The accompanying
Remand Services
financial strictures and failure to learn
from the lessons of various initiatives,
&dquo;At a time of crisis in prison
meant that the hypothecated grant did not
overcrowding, how could the collapse of
ultimately result in sustained benefits. This
remand services be allowed to happen?&dquo;
is despite the fact that evaluations of
This question lies at the heart of this
remand services have actually been fairly
strongly argued report, commissioned by
positive.
ACOP. The blame is laid at the door of the
The authors acknowledge that the
Home Office for a lack of coherent policy
Probation Service has lacked the funds to
and leadership, and the Probation Service
provide sufficient remand services, but
for its failure to build upon the
conclude that it should have taken
opportunities it has had to increase the
advantage of the opportunities &dquo;presented
quality of service provision. The
by remand services to manoeuvre itself
consequent inconsistencies have resulted
into a pivotal role within the court
in &dquo;justice by geography&dquo;, with very few
system&dquo;. Instead, the overall picture is
services showing a long-term commitment
one of...
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