28 June 2002
In his first annual report on the NPS since it was formed last April, published on June 20, Professor Rod Morgan said that additional resources needed to be invested in an effective communications strategy. This would make magistrates and judges more aware of the flexible probation options available within the criminal justice system when sentencing offenders, and so would help to ease the burden on the prison service in the long term, he argued.
'If you asked me if we need more money from the current Spending Review, then I would say we could do with that,' he told Public Finance.
The report praises the work of the NPS over the past year, particularly the 'What Works' programme – which assesses probationary needs on an individual basis and aims to reduce re-offending levels. But Morgan said that additional efforts should be made to reduce re-offending among those with prison sentences of less than 12 months.
UK prisons currently house a record number of inmates – around 71,000.
PFjun2002
