Probation
Putting things right in our community and rehabilitating offenders...
The Cambridgeshire Probation Area is one of 42 probation areas throughout England and Wales. Together they make up the National Probation Service, part of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
Every day, the Cambridgeshire Probation Area supervises over 2000 adult offenders.
The service employs 280 skilled, professional staff throughout Cambridgeshire.
Seventy per cent of their clients are serving community orders. The rest are on license from prison.
The Cambridgeshire Probation Area aims to:
- Protect the public.
- Reduce re-offending.
- Properly punish offenders in the community.
- Make offenders aware of the effects of crime on victims and communities.
- Rehabilitate offenders.
The public protection agency works closely with other organisations in the Criminal Justice System, including the Police, Prisons, Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts, Witness Support Services and local solicitors.
Community Payback
Community Payback is a scheme in which offenders make amends for the harm they've caused the community by carrying out unpaid work that will benefit it in a visible way. The phrase was coined by the Attorney General, the Rt Hon Baroness Scotland QC.
Cambridgeshire residents benefit from over 100,000 hours of compulsory, unpaid work each year.
Each team is closely supervised. Offenders must turn up on time and not miss a session without an acceptable reason.
During their placements they must behave well and work hard.
Residents and organisations are invited to suggest sites for Community Payback. To qualify, placements must be for not-for-profit organisations. They must not replace a current paid workforce and must be of a reasonable nature. They have to meet health and safety regulations.
In recent years, projects have been carried out in places of worship, community centres, schools and residential homes. Projects include gardening, landscaping, painting and decorating and minor building maintenance.