August 31, 2005: New Probation Statistics

New quarterly probation statistics have just been published by the Home Office. The statistics are provisional, pending publication of the annual Offender Management Caseload Statistics. (The most recent annual volume, for 2003, was published in December 2004). Key points from the new statistics include:

• The Probation Service was supervising 128,080 people under a court order at the end of December 2004, 6% more than at the end of 2003.
• Community Rehabilitation Orders (CROs) accounted for half of all court order supervision, Community Punishment Orders (CPOs) 31% and Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Orders (CPROs) 15%.
• 36,320 people started community sentences in England and Wales in the fourth quarter of 2004, 4% more than in the fourth quarter of 2003.
• The number of Pre Sentence reports (PSRs) written by Probation in the fourth quarter of 2004 (48,810) fell by 2% compared to the fourth quarter of 2003 (49,570).
• The number of Specific Sentence Reports (SSRs), however, increased by 3% over the same period.
• 13% those commencing community sentences in the fourth quarter of 2004 were from a minority ethnic group. (14% of British Nationals received into prison during this period under an immediate custodial sentence were from a minority ethnic group.)
• On 31st December 2004, 83,410 people were under Probation supervision either before or after being released from prison, 4% more than one year earlier.
• In total the Probation Service was supervising 209,470 people at 31st December 2004.
• 11,920 people breached a community sentence in the fourth quarter of 2004.