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On Probation
If Rob Allen were Justice Secretary…

The Coalition’s policy of making prison “not smaller but cheaper” has left the system in a parlous state, endangering prisoners, staff and the wider public. An urgent rebalancing of penal policy is required to create an affordable and effective approach to people in conflict with the law.

On Probation
Inspection criticises young offender resettlement

The reasons for this litany of poor practice have nothing to do with resources or politics. The findings are particularly shameful because the inspectors also found numerous examples of excellent work in custody and community and, where this was the case, the children in question had not reoffended.

On Probation
Probation Union NAPO’s justice priorities

My final policy for the day would be to commission a review of NOMS. Ever since its inception it has been criticised as a bureaucratic, expensive and unnecessary arm of the MOJ. I would be asking senior NOMS managers some difficult questions such as: what does it actually offer? Why do we need it? And if we do, then how can we make it more diverse, more affordable, more accountable to public scrutiny and more efficient?

Payment by Results
Social Impact Bonds and Homelessness – 2nd Evaluation

The PbR model appears to be incentivising delivery as intended and there is no evidence of perverse incentives. The ethos of the provider organisations means that they are both committed to continuing support for those who remain on the streets.

On Probation
The Prison Reform Trust’s priorities for Justice

The UK has one of the largest prison populations in Western Europe and it comes at a significant economic and social cost – not least the high rates of reoffending. This is particularly true for women – with HMP Holloway and HMP Bronzefield being the largest women’s prisons in the EU.

Alcohol/Drugs/Gambling
What’s happening with cocaine?

The ACMD found that “the majority of users consume cocaine powder relatively infrequently and, even among users, there appears to be a reasonable level of awareness that cocaine powder is not a ‘safe’ drug.”

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