Probation in England and Wales: Challenging Times

The probation service in England and Wales has experienced considerable organisational change over the recent past, which has impacted on the purpose and practice of its working activities. Wider structural reconfigurations have had considerable implications for local implementation of work with offenders, with forms of practice demanding a different range of skills from a reconstituted workforce. This paper explores and interrogates some of the key areas of this scenario: firstly, probation roles have changed at management, practitioner and administrative levels. While aspects of de-professionalisation can be seen, it is argued that this is a complex process with both opportunities and inherent tensions. Secondly, the organisational staffing composition and range of roles have altered, not least to address the challenge of contestability, new governance structures and resource constraints. Thus, the profile and identity of the organisation can be seen to have undergone a significant process of transformation; while parallels can be drawn with other public service agencies, the pace and extent of change within probation has been extraordinary. In turn, this wider policy and organisational context has affected how ‘effective practice’ is interpreted and enacted, with probation facing challenging demands from the centre, while also endeavouring to maintain area priorities and address local concerns. This current review explores issues of power, knowledge and organisational control in an endeavour to outline and analyse the changes that have taken place and to review the challenges and uncertainties of the current situation.