Rehabilitation Courses for Low-Risk Offenders Canceled to Address Probation Service Strain

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announces reforms to prioritize high-risk offenders, citing an 'impossible' workload and systemic challenges in the Probation Service.

• Approximately 13,000 rehabilitation courses for low-risk offenders, including some sex offenders and domestic abusers, have been canceled due to resource constraints in the Probation Service.
• The Justice Secretary stated that the focus will shift to high-risk offenders, with probation officers dedicating more time to addressing root causes of serious reoffending.
• Low-risk offenders will still be supervised by probation officers, with interventions such as education, housing support, and drug treatment being prioritized to reduce reoffending rates.
• The reforms aim to move away from a 'one size fits all' approach, with decisions based on individual risk of harm and reoffending rather than specific offenses committed.
• Plans include recruiting 1,300 additional probation officers by March 2026 and introducing new technology to reduce administrative burdens on staff.

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