Tackling "significant changes" in probation

UNIVERSITIES have a responsibility to help fill the gap in the training of probation practitioners caused by public sector spending cuts.

That was the message at the launch of a new initiative to provide people working in the criminal justice sector with a forum to discuss ideas, at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The university has teamed up with the Greater Manchester Probation Trust to hold the first of a series of North West Probationer Practitioner forums. This is the first time the service has been available in the North West.

The event gave people working in social work, policing, youth justice, community mental health and probation the opportunity to meet with academics and debate issues regarding class, welfare and offender supervision in the light of the riots which gripped English cities in 2011.

The keynote speaker was Steve Collett, former Chief Officer of Cheshire Probation Area, who recently warned that austerity cuts and a crackdown on crime could create a “powder keg” situation leading to a repeat of the riots.

Changes and challenges

Patrick Williams, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and one of the organisers of the forums, said: “We have had some really positive feedback from the practitioners. The debate was fantastic and really demonstrated the need for this sort of forum.”

Also representing MMU on the organising committee are Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Graham Smyth and Senior Lecturer in Community Justice, Aileen Watson, along with Emma Cluely and Dervla McArt from Greater Manchester Probation Services.

Patrick said: “It is important to hold these forums for a number of reasons. There are significant changes happening across the criminal justice system which throw up a number of challenges for practitioners. In the light of these changes we wanted to look at how practitioners can continue to so their work within the confines created.

“Secondly, it is about practitioners ensuring their knowledge base is kept up to date, and that;s where the University can deliver. Academics can help provide a theory base that helps them deliver.”

Responsibility to help

The first forum was attended by groups including Greater Manchester Police, G4S, the Youth Offending Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

Patrick believes that universities have a responsibility to help people working in the probation services to provide the most effective approach to offender management. MMU already delivers the Probation Qualification Framework for the area, and these forums will provide a valuable addition.

“Increasingly practitioners are finding themselves being cut adrift, and I think we have a responsibility as a University to engage with them and fill that gap,” Patrick said. “It’s not about politics, it’s about knowledge.”

Emma Cluely said: “Manchester Metropolitan University is extremely supportive and recognises the importance of building links in this sector. The aim is that by engaging with the latest research it will help make us more efficient and effective practitioners.”

Future forums will be looking at issues surrounding personality disorders and mental health (June 19th), and ideas about transitions for young people.