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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the role is of the Probation Service in England and Wales in working locally with other criminal justice agencies on public protection issues. [216119] Paul Goggins: Working purposefully with other criminal justice agencies to protect the public from harm remains a key priority for the National Probation Service (NPS). Together with the local police and prison services, the NPS is responsible for reviewing and monitoring arrangements for assessing and managing the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders within multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA). This involves working with other criminal justice organisations, including the youth offending teams, together with local providers of health, housing, education and social services. Chief officers of probation sit on local criminal justice boards (LCJBs) which are responsible for the local delivery of criminal justice system (CJS) objectives, improvement in the delivery of justice, the service provided to victims and witnesses, and securing public confidence in the system. In addition, the responsible authority for each crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRPs) is required to co-operate with local probation boards in developing and implementing strategies to tackle crime and disorder and misuse of drugs in their area. Working together with partners under each of these headings the NPS will continue work to improve child protection arrangements, enhance the service to victims, and develop a co-ordinated response to domestic abuse. It will also prioritise work with prolific and priority offenders to help reduce their re-offending by ensuring swift assessment, priority access to interventions, intensive supervision and prompt enforcement of any breach of licence or court order.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c464-5W;431 c461-2W; 216119

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Children Cooperation Domestic abuse Protection Police Prisons Local government services Prisoners' release Probation National Probation Service for England and Wales Sexual offences Witnesses Victims Reoffenders Probation boards Crime and disorder reduction partnerships Local criminal justice boards

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk