STUNELL: PROBATION STAFF CUTS PUTTING PUBLIC AT RISK
November 2, 2009 11:10 AM
Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell has today hit out at the government's management of the Probation Service after he uncovered new figures showing staff numbers are falling throughout the region.
The figures, released to Mr Stunell in response to Parliamentary Questions show:
- There were 3,103 Probation Service Staff in the North West in 2008, down 204 since 2006, and down 101 since 2004.
- At the same time, the number of offenders the probation service supervises has risen steadily, standing at approximately 39,000, up from 34,000 in 2004.
- There are now on average 12.6 offenders supervised by each staff member, up from 10.7 in 2004.
- In Andrew's own area of Greater Manchester, there are now 1,284 probation service staff, down from a height of 1,411 in 2006. They are now supervising over 16,000 offenders, up from 14,000 in 2004.
The government has already come in for criticism for cutting the Probation Service budget and a National Association of Probation Officers paper warned that with crime likely to rise during the recession, planned further budget cuts would mean that the probation service "will not be able to fulfill its statutory responsibilities".
Commenting, Andrew Stunell said:
"The government is wrong to impose cuts on the Probation Service when crime is rising, and the prison population is at a record high.
"These cuts have resulted in fewer staff dealing with more offenders, and a probation system that will struggle to cope through the recession.
"Tough community punishments have been proven to be more effective in cutting reoffending than short term prison sentences, and this has been due in no small part to the sterling work of the Probations Service. This is being put in jeopardy by the government's decision.
"It is impossible to see how the service can deliver a high quality service faced with even more cuts. The thinner they are stretched the greater the risk of a big rise in reoffending. This can only increase the risk to public safety."
ENDS
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