Private probation companies letting convicts commit more crime and allowing them to disappear, report finds

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery HM Inspectorate of Probation has found a ‘two-tier system’ between private community rehabilitation companies and the National Probation Service The CRC eventually sent a letter to Michael’s address, but he no longer lived there. Inspectors concluded that the Government’s 2014 Transforming Rehabilitation programme had created a “two-tier” system that could worsen as loss-making CRCs cut staff and services. open image in gallery The National Probation Service was split in 2014, with some 70 per cent of its work outsourced to private companies “CRCs focused on contract compliance, but not seeing people often enough, or not engaging meaningfully with them, are inevitably behind the curve on enforcement,” she said. “It is time for the Government to end this dangerous experiment and recreate a single, successful, probation service using the best from the system we used to have.” The Ministry of Justice said the report showed probation providers were recalling offenders to prison where necessary to keep the public protected.