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
Our growing love affair with tagging
The number of people subjected to tagging jumped 22% in the year to June 2023.
Positive inspection of probation counter-terrorism work
Inspectors find probation, police and prison services have provided a solid foundation to managing counter terrorism cases collectively.
Experiences of probation (re-) unification
Research into probation staff’s experiences of (re-) unification, particularly in respect of their roles, identities, and occupational cultures
Risk-Need-Responsivity
James Bonta sets out the evidence for the Risk-Need-Responsivity model for HMI Probation.
The Good Jobs Project
The Good Jobs Project aims to fill job shortages with marginalised talent, including people with criminal convictions.
Probation still not protecting victims of domestic abuse
Inspectors finds far too many potential victims at risk of domestic abuse from people on probation.
Contextual safeguarding in youth justice
Probation inspectorate urges Youth Justice Board to issue guidance around contextual safeguarding.
Youth justice services “high quality”
Inspectorate finds high quality youth justice services in England & Wales.
Health & Social Care for people on probation
Quality indicators to support health improvement for people on probation.
The importance of pre-sentence reports
Defendants getting a Pre-Sentence Report more likely to complete their court order.
Probation risk of harm assessments still “inaccurate and incomplete”
HMI Probation’s second annual report on Serious Further Offences finds assessments of risk of harm remain inaccurate and incomplete.
Unilink and a digital future in prisons and probation
Unilink is improving access to digital services for people in prison and on probation.
