This instruction applies to:- / Reference:-
Providers of Probation Services / PI 12/2014
Issue Date / Effective Date
Implementation Date / Expiry Date
01May 2014 / 02 June 2014 / 01May 2018
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Board
For action by / All staff responsible for the development and publication of policy and instructions
NOMS HQ
Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs)
NOMS Rehabilitation Contract Services Team
National Probation Service (NPS) Directorate
Other Providers of Probation Services
Instruction type / Service Specification Support
For information / Community Rehabilitation Companies, Community Payback staff and offender managers; National Probation Service offender managers, court staff and report writers
Provide a summary of the policy aim and the reason for its development / revision / This instruction supports the delivery of unpaid work by promoting its visibility, with the intention of improving public confidence in community sentences
Contact / David Mead
MoJ Rehabilitation Programme
102 Petty France
London SW1H 9AJ
Tel: 020 3334 3098
Email:
Associated documents / None
Replaces the following documents which are hereby cancelled:PC 19/2008 –Distinctive Clothing for Offenders Undertaking Community Payback (Revised)
Audit/monitoring:The Director of NPS in England, Director of NOMS in Wales and NOMS Director of Rehabilitation Services for CRCs will monitor compliance with the mandatory requirements in this instruction.
NOMS contract management will hold providers to account for delivery of mandated instructions as required in the contract.
Notes: All Mandatory Actions throughout this instruction are in italics and must be strictly adhered to.
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CONTENTS
Section / Subject / For reference by:1 / ExecutiveSummary / All Staff
2.1 / Operational Instructions for CRCs / All CRCs staff
2.9 / Operational Instructions for the NPS / All NPS Staff
3 / Policy and strategic context / All Staff
PI 12/2014 ISSUE DATE 01/05/2014
PAGE 1
1.Executive Summary
Background
1.1This instruction replaces PC 19/2008, which has expired. It introduces no policy or operational changes, whilst acknowledging the establishment of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service (NPS).
1.2Distinctive high visibility tabards for offenders undertaking unpaid work were introduced in December 2008. The Cabinet Office publication Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime[1]had found that members of the public wanted unpaid work by offenders to be more visible. The high visibility tabards were intended to enhance the visibility of the sentence, which had first been promoted when the Community Payback scheme was launched in 2005.
1.3The introduction of the tabards was followed by the Justice Seen, Justice Done campaign which significantly raised public awareness of Community Payback. Subsequent research found that members of the public frequently referred to the high visibility tabards, when asked about Community Payback.[2]
Desired outcomes
1.4This instruction supports the delivery of the NOMS Unpaid Work / Community Payback Service Specification by ensuring that the distinctive high visibility Community Payback tabards continue to be used by all providers of the sentence.
Application
1.5All CRC staff involved in the delivery of Community Payback, CRC and NPS offender managers and NPS staff responsible for preparing Pre-Sentence Reports and advising sentencers.
Mandatory Actions
CRCs
1.6Chief Executives of CRCs and NOMS Account Managers must ensure the following adhere to this instruction:
- All CRC staff involved in the operational delivery of Community Payback
- All CRC staff involved in the assessment of work projects and liaison with the organisations and individuals who benefit from Community Payback workCRC Offender Managers
NPS
1.7NPS Deputy Directors must ensure the following adhere to this instruction;
- NPS staff responsible for the preparation of Pre-Sentence Reports and the provision of advice to courts
Resource Impact
1.8This instruction replaces Probation Circular 19/2008. It introduces no new mandatory actions or additional costs.
(Approved for publication)
Ian Blakeman
Director of Commissioning, NOMS
2.Operational Instructions
2.1Operational Instructions for CRCs
2.2CRC staff responsible for the operational delivery of Community Payback must ensure that offenders undertaking Community Payback work on projects potentially visible to the public are required to wear high visibility tabards, unless the exemptions in paragraphs 2.7 – 2.9 are applicable.
2.3The distinctive high visibility Community Payback tabards must be orange to EN471 class 2 standard with the Community Payback logo on the front and the words Community Payback on the back.
2.4The Community Payback logo must be in the standard colours of purple and green with the wording Community Payback in purple beneath, or the bilingual version for Wales and must not be less than 9 cm high. On the back, the wording must be in black with the letters not less than 30mm high. For Wales the words Community Payback must appear in both English and Welsh with the lettering not less than 25mm high.
2.5The above requirements are applicable to work projects supervised by CRC staff and those supervised by beneficiary agencies. There is no prescribed clothing for CRC employed supervisors, but members of the public must be able to distinguish between offenders undertaking Community Payback and staff responsible for their supervision.
2.6The Community Payback tabards must be used unless the work placement risk assessment identifies their use would pose a potential risk of harm to members of the public, staff or offenders. A decision not to use the tabards must be endorsed by a manager.
2.7Beneficiaries of Community Payback work must be made aware of the purpose of the tabards. Any request to exempt a project from the use of the tabardsmust only be agreed where convincing evidence is provided on the basis of health and safety concerns, business risk to the beneficiary or suitability of the placement.
2.8This instruction is applicable to all offenders over 18 years of age. Individuals undertaking unpaid work as a requirement of enforcement order under the Children and Adoption Act 2006 are not required to wear the distinctive tabards and must not be worked with offenders on projects where the tabards are in scope.
2.9Operational Instructions for the NPS
2.10To avoid potential issues at the first unpaid work session, NPS PSR writers and court staff must ensure that offenders are aware of the requirement to wear the high visibility tabards before a recommendation is made for unpaid work in a pre-sentence report or prior to the offender leaving court following the imposition of an unpaid work requirement.
3.Policy and Strategic Context
3.1The purpose of the tabards is to make the work visible to the public and to improve awareness of Community Payback Their use supports the policy objective of making Community Payback visible to the public. Visibility is intended to increase public awareness of the sentence and to provide tangible evidence that community sentences are being carried out,so improving public confidence in those sentences.
3.2The purpose of the tabards is not to stigmatise or humiliate offenders. Experience of their use by probation trusts since 2008 suggests they are now an accepted component of Community Payback delivery. The tabards meet health and safety requirements for high visibility clothing.
PI 12/2014 ISSUE DATE 01/05/2014
[1]Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime -
[2]Community Payback and local criminal justice initiatives - Ministry of Justice 2010