Tag Archives: national offender management service

Opinion: The future of the probation service

In 2004, the last government merged the prison and probation services into one gigantic super-agency: the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The changes exacted by NOMS have led to the systematic fragmentation and demoralisation of probation, whose purpose has been altered beyond all recognition.

Unrepresented at the highest management structure of NOMS, neglected and misrepresented, the probation service has for years plodded along in the shadows, only to be thrust into the limelight when the spotlight fell on individual tragedies amid media frenzies.

The creation of NOMS bought with it the mantra of ‘managerialism.’ Staff at all levels experienced a loss …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | Leave a comment
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Matt Wardman
    @John Macinnes I think data privacy is one issue amongst several - such as not killing the benefits because of a moral panic. I think we need to think beyond...
  • Matt Wardman
    @John Macinnes I think data privacy is one issue amongst several - such as not killing the benefits, and I think we need to think beyond Meta to the generic....
  • Matt Wardman
    @Tim - thanks for your reply. I think the approach to ban eg video recording is very problematic, when we have equivalent devices (hidden cameras eg buttonh...
  • Chris Lewcock
    Charles Fraser MacKintosh was the Liberal MP for Inverness Burghs at the end of the 19th Century. He was on the Napier Commission and helped steer the first Cro...
  • Gary
    While logistically harder the UK military might still far outstrips Argentina, it’s not a case of if we could win a conflict but if there is the will to conte...