What lessons can government learn from the insourcing of probation services?
17 March 2025, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Location: Online / Institute for Government, 2 Carlton Gardens, London SW1Y 5AA
Think tank: Institute for Government
This event hosted by UK think tank the Institute for Government will explore the creation – and impact – of the Probation Service.
The new public sector Probation Service was created in 2021 to unify the outsourced management of low- and medium-risk offenders with the public sector management of high-of risk offenders.
The initial transition went well, but probation faces deep structural challenges and service performance has worsened since reunification. Rates of prison leavers being recalled to custody are at an all-time high, and pressure on probation is only increasing with the emergency early release scheme recently launched in prisons across England and Wales.
So what can the government learn about improving public service reform from probation insourcing? What are the implications for Labour’s strategic review of probation governance? And what comes next for the probation service?
Speakers
Professor Harry Annison – Deputy Head of School (Research) at Southampton Law School
Helen Berresford – Director of External Engagement at Narco
Sam Freedman – Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
The event will be chaired by Nick Davies – Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
