Everything you want to know about probation
The most up-to-date data
This is the latest in my new series of compendiums of the latest data and trends in the criminal justice system. Following compendiums on prisons, sentencing, and offender equalities, this edition focuses on probation.
For the best experience, click through the visualisation at the bottom of this page, this allows you to hover over data points and see the exact data. If you can’t see the visualisation below on your device, you can find it here.
Topics covered include:
- The type of offences people are on probation for
- The decline of community sentences over the last decade
- Caseload figures (including changes in different forms of supervision)
- The offence profile of people on community supervision
- A breakdown of the popularity of different requirements on community orders and suspended sentence orders
- Successful completion rates (and reasons for termination) for community supervision
- The spectacular drop in the number of full Pre-Sentence reports
I hope you find them of use and interest.
Compendium last updated 3 December 2020
Criminal Justice Trends
Click below for up-to-date interactive charts using the latest official data.
Offender equalities
A wide range of prison statistics broken down by gender, ethnicity and age.
Probation
The latest caseload figures and trends, offender profiles and court reports.
Prison
Details of individual establishments, costs, population trends and safety in custody stats.
Sentencing
Compare sentencing outcomes, lengths and reoffending rates and index offences.
Recent Probation Posts
The latest prison and probation trends – Spring 2024
Offender management statistics show a jump in the prison population, the highest ever numbers on remand and (another) increase in prison recalls.
Employment and training in prison and the community
Clinks Advisory Group reports on employment and training in prisons and the community.
An A-Z of key research messages
The probation inspectorate publishes an A-Z of key research messages to build a common understanding of key concepts in probation and youth justice
The interventions landscape for probation
Probation inspectorate overview of the current difficulties with intervention delivery post-unification.
The Probation Service’s work with domestic abuse offenders
Guest blog by Nicole Renehan & David Gadd on what can be learned from the Building Better Relationships intervention with domestic abuse offenders.
Sport interventions for resettlement
Haydn Morgan & Andrew Parker examine sport and physical activity as interventions for resettlement.
A 5-point plan to resolve the IPP crisis
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies has published a 5-point plan to resolve the IPP crisis for good.
How did the MoJ spend its £13bn budget?
National Audit Office report shows exactly how the MoJ spent its £13bn budget.
Prison Trends January 2024
January 2024 Offender Management Statistics show big increases in prison population, remands, prison punishments & licence recalls.
Too many demands on Senior Probation Officers
HMI Probation thematic inspection finds there are far too many demands on Senior Probation Officers.
Best practice in working with people with mental health problems on probation
Charlie Brooker & Coral Sirdifield identify best practice in working with people with mental health problems on probation in the latest addition to Clinks evidence library.
The feminisation of probation
Matt Tidmarsh explores the demographic and cultural dynamics which have made probation a mainly female occupation.