Published date:
Criminal Justice Inspectors carried out a Follow-Up Review of an Inspection of Probation Practice initially published in 2020 and found significant improvements had been made across the organisation over the last three years.
Board Chair Max Murray said: “The findings in this review are very welcome and demonstrate the substantial efforts made over the last few years to make improvements to organisational culture and probation practice. Significantly staff feel that PBNI is a better place to work than when Inspectors undertook their fieldwork in 2019. That is very heartening. The Chief Inspector commended PBNI’s approach as ‘refreshing’ and reflective of a learning organisation willing to develop its professional practice. I want to commend Chief Executive Amanda Stewart for driving forward a programme of organisational and cultural change, and bringing staff alongside her on this journey, which has yielded such clear results. We have more to do but this review is a resounding endorsement of the work that has taken place to date”.
Chief Executive Amanda Stewart added: “Within Probation we have worked hard to develop our practice and ensure we have a clear focus and operational grip on reducing and managing the risks of serious harm and keeping our communities safer. Everyday probation staff are working to tackle the causes of offending and protect the public. That includes tackling and preventing domestic abuse, sexual offending and providing support to victims of crime. We have a lot more to do but today’s report underlines that the approach we have adopted including having a much sharper focus on professional curiosity and introducing a trauma informed model of practice is making a difference.”
In conclusion the Board Chair said: “The Chief Inspector notes that the vision and business of PBNI is changing lives and to do this it relies on staff to build effective relationships to achieve trust and the best outcomes for all communities. The impact that Probation make to people’s lives would not be possible without the unwavering commitment and dedication of every single staff member who works to change lives for safer communities.”