A fork in the road: Probation unification in England and Wales two years on
Citation:
Millings, M., Burke, L., Annison, H., Carr, N., Surridge, E. & Robinson, G., A fork in the road: Probation unification in England and Wales two years on, Probation Journal, 2025Download Item:
Abstract:
This article presents findings from a major longitudinal research project of probation in England and Wales, arguing that the process of its ‘unification’ (re-nationalisation) continues to be a painful process whose end state remains elusive. Having previously articulated how practitioners experienced unification as ‘painful but necessary’, here, using the imagery of a journey, we argue that the speed and direction of travel have encountered a more perilous trajectory than expected as high workloads and staffing challenges have persisted. Second, we argue that enduring challenges in bedding in new working practices – and building the confidence of new and existing colleagues to deliver them – have acted as ‘hazards’ that have needed careful navigation. Third, we argue that staff experience a sense of individual and collective operational vulnerability, in the face of the relentless demands placed upon them. In conclusion, we identify a series of forks in the road that prompt profound questions about the delivery of probation services now and in the future.
Sponsor
Grant Number
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
ES/W001101/1
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/ncarr
Author: Carr, Nicola
Sponsor:
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)Type of material:
Journal ArticleSeries/Report no:
Probation Journal;Availability:
Full text availableDOI:
https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505241303755ISSN:
https://doi.org/10.1177/026455Metadata
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