Gender and Organisational Change in the Probation Service

The probation service has undergone a period of upheaval over the recent past. There has been considerable coverage in the literature about the structural reorganisation of the service and the implementation of policy and practice changes, particularly in relation to the ‘What Works’ initiative. However, there has been little discussion about the changing gender composition of the service and, in particular, the rise in the proportion of female staff. This article provides a descriptive overview and applies a gendered analysis, in order to gain a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of these organisational changes.