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
Revisiting the purpose of sentencing
The Independent Sentencing Review calls on government to revisit the statutory purpose of sentencing.
What’s in the Sentencing Review?
David Gauke’s Sentencing Review sets the policy direction for criminal justice for the Labour Government. But what’s in it?
What’s it like being a prison probation officer?
Laura Pope researches the views and experiences of probation staff working in prison.
What are RAR days and do they work?
MoJ process evaluation of the Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) finds inconsistency & lack of understanding but some positive benefits.
New professional standards for prison and probation staff
Lord Timpson announces action to support 1 in 8 staff who reported being bullied, harassed or discriminated against last year.
The challenges of being a probation manager
Kevin Wong summarises research on a new model for probation management.
Probation service failing at a national level
Inspectors find major shortfalls in national arrangements for the probation service
Hope & Probation
Jake Phillips & colleagues’ new report on Using the lens of hope to reimagine probation practice.
Developments in the parole system
Chief Executive of the Parole Board Cecilia French shares the latest developments in the parole system.
Probation pilot provides support for victims of stalking
Process evaluation of the pilot Victim Notification Scheme for victims of stalking, harassment & coercive behaviour.
Bridging the digital divide in Probation
Dr Victoria Knight’s guest post on her new Academic Insight for HM Inspectorate of Probation on Bridging the Digital Divide.
Probation “under-resourced and over-stretched”
Probation inspectorate annual report says the service has too few staff, with too little experience and training, managing too many cases.
