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
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.
Celebrating achievement in criminal justice
Butler Trust announce the winners of its awards for 2023/24.
Experiences of probation on release from a life sentence
Ailie Rennie discusses her research into life sentence prisoners’ experiences of probation.
Can probation hostels facilitate desistance & rehabilitation?
The potential of probation hostels to facilitate desistance and rehabilitation is mainly untapped.
Supporting women at risk of breach
Pilot project shows value of supporting women at risk of breaching their community order.
IPP recalls mostly in line with policy
HMI Probation finds IPP recalls mostly in line with policy but deplores lack of support and continuity of supervising officers.
Remorse: what is it good for?
Kelly Grehan and Sean Mullen of Revolving Doors asks whether remorse has a place in sentencing.
Community resettlement for young Muslims
Rebuilding Lives: Young Muslims from the criminal justice system to community resettlement.
Facts & Figures from the 2023 MoJ Annual Report
The 2023 MoJ annual report and accounts reveals some interesting facts & figures.
What is good trauma-informed practice?
Issues, challenges and opportunities for trauma-informed practice
Some progress on prison and probation staffing
HMPPS workforce figures for September 2023 show increases in prison and probation staff.