SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE FOR Probation

THE PROLIFIC AND OTHER

PRIORITY OFFENDER (PPO) Circular
STRATEGY: REHABLITATION & REFERENCE NO:

RESETTLE FRAMEWORK 51/2004

ISSUE DATE:
PURPOSE 15 September 2004

1. To bring the contents of the above guidance to the attention of probation IMPLEMENTATION DATE:
areas.
Immediate
2. To provide initial guidance for pre-sentence report (PSR) authors on
recommendations in reports for prolific and other priority offenders.
EXPIRY DATE:
3. To inform areas that the supplementary guidance to the rehabilitation &
September 2009
resettle strand of the PPO strategy was issued to Crime & Disorder
Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), Local Criminal Justice Boards
(LCJBs), Association of Chief Police Officers and Chief Officers of TO:
Probation on the 8 September 2004. Chairs of Probation Boards
Chief Officers of Probation
ACTION Secretaries of Probation Boards
Chief Officers and Assistant Chief Officers (and PPO leads) to note the
contents and distribute to all relevant staff. CC:
Board Treasurers
SUMMARY Regional Managers
This paper aims to inform areas of the supplementary guidance to the
rehabilitation and resettle strand of the PPO strategy. It also provides initial AUTHORISED BY:
guidance on how offenders and PPO schemes should be referred to in Claire Wiggins, Head of Intensive
PSRs. More detailed advice will be issued following wider consultation. Interventions

RELEVANT PREVIOUS PROBATION CIRCULARS ATTACHED:

PC70/2003, PC39/2004, PC41/2004, PC47/2004 Appendix 1 (Prolific and other
Priority Offender Strategy –
CONTACT FOR ENQUIRIES Rehabilitate and Resettle
Claire Wiggins, Head of Intensive Interventions Framework)
Tel: 020 7217 8646
Email: Claire.wiggins3@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

National Probation Directorate

Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London, SW1P 2AW General Enquiries: 020 7217 0659 Fax: 020 7217 0660

Enforcement, rehabilitation and public protection

Background

1. The Prolific and Other Priority Offender (PPO) strategy has been developed by the Crime Strategy and Resources
Unit, within the Criminal Reduction Directorate to tackle those offenders who are identified locally as being the most
prolific. It replaces the Persistent Offender Scheme under the Narrowing the Justice Gap initiative and utilises locally
agreed definitions of ‘persistence’ rather than a national definition. It is delivered through local CDRPs with associated
responsibilities for LCJBs and government offices. Areas were required to commence PPO schemes by 6 Sept 2004.

3. The sentencing principles in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 recognise the importance of addressing persistence -
persistence is incorporated as a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing. Under the new strategy prolific and other
priority offenders are identified according to the nature and level of the crime/s committed and the harm that it causes
to the local community. This is in line with sentencing provision under the Act.

4. The PPO strategy promotes the use of community sentences for priority and prolific offenders as opposed to short
custodial sentences whenever this is appropriate. The Crime Reduction and Community Safety (CRCS) unit is
working with the Sentencing Guidelines Council to promote the use of community sentences for PPOs, but it is
acknowledged that PSR authors will play a key role in promoting suitable community sentences for this group.
Probation managers should ensure that as a rule, community sentences are considered for all PPOs in all cases.

5. When preparing pre-sentence reports on prolific or priority offenders, report authors would be required to advise the
courts of previous offending. Reports should also provide the reasoning as to why an offender is being sentenced to
enhanced levels of supervision, particularly where offenders are being accelerated from the community sentence to
custodial threshold on the basis of persistence.

6. In order to provide the courts with a clear and transparent assessment and potentially avoid any future legal
challenges, reports should not contain local definitions of persistency or use the term 'Prolific or Priority Offender' to
describe an offender in a report. As with other PSRs they should analyse patterns of offending behaviour, assess the
risks of re-offending and identify actions to reduce it. Where a PPO is assessed as suitable for a PPO scheme, the
PSR author should propose that an offender be sentenced to an 'intensive community order'. The report should state
that the order will consist of a number of requirements, and that whilst under the order the offender will be subject to
close monitoring by the probation service and the police. (See example wording on the following page.)

7. In preparing the PSR, probation staff should only use information on persistency that can be confirmed by the
offender or other sources (e.g. case file, previous convictions, CPS outline) as part of the normal PSR interview and
information gathering process. The inclusion of information in reports that cannot be confirmed could leave NPS open
to legal challenges. Information which can be confirmed by the offender or other sources should be included in the
report only where it is relevant to the offence, the offender or the proposal.

8. Where offenders have been identified as a prolific or priority offender, a full OASys and pre-sentence report should be
completed in all cases. Expedited or short format reports should not be used except in exceptional circumstances and
with the agreement of a probation manager.

9. Summary
That local persistent & priority offender definitions are not referred to in pre-sentence reports and that prolific or
priority offender schemes are referred to as offering intensive supervision and monitoring with each requirement
clearly specified as outlined in the example given on the following page.

More detailed guidance on pre-sentence reports for prolific or other priority offenders will be developed following
wider consultation.

PC51/2004 – Supplementary Guidance for the Prolific and other Priority Offender Strategy: Rehabilitation & Resettle
Framework 2
Suggested conclusion for pre-sentence reports

1. The courts have indicated that this offence places (name of offender) at top end of the community sentence band of
the generic community sentence. This is (name of offender) 5th offence of a similar nature within a 5-month period
and indicates a developing pattern of offending. Based on this and a summary of other relevant information (i.e. drug
misuse etc), it is my conclusion that (name of offender) is at a high risk of further offending. In these circumstances,
the risk of re-offending is most likely to be reduced if the offending related needs are addressed as a part of a
programme of intensive supervision which will be delivered within a framework of close oversight by the Probation
Service and the Police. It is of note that (name of offender) does not represent a high risk of harm.

2. (Name of offender) will be required to attend a locally managed scheme run in partnership with the Police and the
Probation service as well as other statutory/voluntary agencies. The scheme provides enhanced levels of supervision,
police surveillance and a range of interventions aimed at addressing core offending related needs and increasing
offender rehabilitation. The scheme also aims to interrupt any future offending and increase offender rehabilitation
through police and probation information exchange and through police surveillance. This will lead to swift action in the
event of further offending.

3. (Name of offender) will be required to report to the probation office on 4 occasions per week and complete X no of
hours per week on a suitable community punishment placement. In addition (name of offender) would be subject to
an offending behaviour programme.

4. Were the courts to accept this proposal, I would ask that (name of offender) be made subject to a community
sentence with the following requirements:

• Supervision requirement (or CRO as currently termed)

• X hours unpaid work requirement (or CPO as currently termed) a programme requirement - (please specify
programme, duration and appropriate legislation)
• an activity requirement - (please specify exactly what the activity will be and the appropriate legislation)

5. (Name of offender) has been assessed as suitable for the scheme. He/she is aware of the content and stringent
reporting requirements and understands that any failure to comply will be strictly enforced by swift court action.

PC51/2004 – Supplementary Guidance for the Prolific and other Priority Offender Strategy: Rehabilitation & Resettle
Framework 3
PROLIFIC AND OTHER
PRIORITY OFFENDER
STRATEGY

SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE:
REHABILITATE AND RESETTLE
FRAMEWORK
September 2004

Page 1
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3

THE REHABILITATE AND RESETTLE MODEL 4

ACTION PLAN 6

GOVERNANCE 8

PPO OFFENDER MANAGEMENT GROUP 9

FUNDING 10

FURTHER INFORMATION 10

ANNEX A: PROBATION OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE 11

ANNEX B: GUIDANCE ON THE PARTICIPATION OF PRISONS 14

Page 2
Introduction

1. The central aim of the Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) strategy
is to reduce crime and re-offending by developing a joined up approach,
whereby local agencies manage a small group of offenders who commit
the most crime (or create the maximum disorder) in every Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Each local PPO scheme
selects the individuals who are responsible for the most crime and
disorder, using the National Intelligence Model and locally agreed criteria.
CDRPs will then ensure that all agencies prioritise their resources on these
offenders, with the explicit aim of putting an end to their offending. Where
this approach has been taken, in areas such as Avon & Somerset and
Blackpool, substantial reductions in crime have resulted.

2. Additionally the PPO Strategy builds on the success of the Street Crime
Initiative (SCI), which is also an end-to-end strategy to prevent crime by
young people, to catch and convict robbers and to rehabilitate them.
Whilst the SCI principally targets those committing robbery, the PPO
strategy allows local areas to focus on other offenders also.

3. Initial guidance was issued on 9 July to support the setting up of the

central catch and convict strand of local PPO schemes. This set a target
date for a PPO scheme to be established in each CDRP of 6 September
2004. The guidance indicated that the number of PPOs identified should
match the resources available to deal with them subject to a minimum of
15-20 offenders being identified within each CDRP, with more expected in
high crime CDRPs and those spanning more than one Police Basic
Command Unit. In big city areas such as Birmingham, Sheffield and
Leeds, the guidance indicated that between 60-100 PPOs should be
selected and targetted under the programme.

4. Experience from existing schemes suggests that crime reduction and other
reductions in harm to local communities will result from:

• Preventing PPOs from offending through their apprehension and

conviction, and through licence enforcement, with a swift return to the
courts for those PPOs continuing to offend (the Catch and Convict
strand of the strategy );
• Rehabilitation of PPOs who are in custody or serving sentences in the
community, through closer working between all relevant agencies, and
through continued post-sentence support (the Rehabilitate and
Resettle strand of the strategy).

The whole process needs to be seen as a coherent whole, the primary aim
of which is to move offenders of all ages away from committing further
crime.

5. This guidance focuses primarily on the second of these elements, while

the initial Catch and Convict Guidance published in July 2004 focussed on
the first. In practice, however, many of the same agencies (e.g. police,
probation, prisons and Criminal Justice Intervention Teams (CJITs)) will be
involved in both elements and some key strands of activity, such as

Page 3
 information sharing, will contribute to both. This guidance is also relevant,
therefore, to some elements of the Catch and Convict process (e.g. licence
enforcement and information sharing). Both this and the initial guidance
issued in July need to be read and implemented together.

6. A brief overview of the high level Rehabilitate and Resettle model which
this guidance asks all CDRPs to implement is given in the next section.
More detailed operational guidance for probation and prisons can be found
in Annexes A and B.

7. The table at paragraph 19 outlines the actions required to develop this

model, including action to develop the pathways identified in the National
Reducing Re-offending Action Plan. Each CDRP is responsible for
ensuring that these actions are in place and that PPOs are appropriately
prioritised. Local Criminal Justice Boards should continue to exercise an
oversight of the coherence of all of the individual CDRP schemes in their
areas.

8. Separate guidance on links between the PPO scheme and the Criminal
Justice Interventions Programme (CJIP) was issued on 12 August and is
available at www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo.

9. The Youth Justice Board will also be issuing guidance shortly which will
cover how young offenders identified as PPOs should be managed by
Youth Offending Teams.

10. All stakeholders in the CDRP are responsible for ensuring that all strands
of the strategy are delivered in accordance with local and national policies
and procedures in relation to diversity promotion and management, and for
overseeing and where appropriate for developing all necessary monitoring
and reporting processes to ensure compliance with equalities and related
legislation.

The Rehabilitate and Resettle Model

11. The main agencies involved in rehabilitating PPOs are probation, prisons,
police and CJIP providers, drawing upon other partner agencies to provide
services under the intervention pathways set out in the National Reducing
Re-offending Action Plan. In many areas, these agencies already work
closely together. The Rehabilitate and Resettle strand is consistent with
existing best practice in this area, namely:

• The National Offender Management Service approach to managing

offenders through a single offender manager having ‘case
management’ responsibility for an offender at all stages through their
sentence.

• “Resources following risk”. PPOs will have been identified because

of their disproportionate offending or the impact they have on their
communities, with the resources allocated to them reflecting this.

Page 4
 • OASys or ASSET assessments – All PPOs aged 18 and over and
sentenced to community or custodial sentences of a year or more will
have an OASys assessment to identify their likelihood of re-offending,
their risk of serious harm, the needs related to their offending, and the
interventions required to rehabilitate and resettle them. The Offender
Assessment System is a standardised process for the assessment of
offenders that has been developed jointly by the National Probation
Service and the Prison Service. An equivalent process, ASSET, exists
for offenders under 18.

• The National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan (see para 16

below) which sets out the framework under which the pathways should
be developed both regionally and locally.

12. In essence, the Rehabilitate and Resettle model aims to ensure that in
every CDRP close partnership working is in place, with the result that
seamless, effective case management is guaranteed for every PPO. To
ensure that this is the case, each CDRP should consider the adequacy of
their current arrangements in the following 12 key areas and take action to
remedy gaps or weaknesses where necessary. The agency-specific
operational guidance in Annexes A and B outlines the commitments
required by the Probation and Prison services in particular in order to
ensure this seamless case management.

Overall requirements 1. Local PPO scheme staffing

2. Identification of PPOs and criteria
for removal from the scheme
3. Information sharing protocols
4. Provision of services for all PPOs
(subject to the resources follow risk
principles above)
Requirements for management of 5. Assignment of Offender Managers
each PPO (to statutory cases)
6. Monitoring and Information Sharing
7. Pre-sentence report (PSR)
8. OASys or ASSET assessment/
sentence and rehabilitation planning
9. Implementation of sentence and
rehabilitation plan
10.Tracking PPOs through Prison
estate and throughout the CJS
11.Ongoing support beyond sentence
12. Swift action against re-offenders
including breach/recall for non
compliance or in the event of future
offending.

Page 5
ACTION PLAN – Implementing the Rehabilitate and
Resettle model
13. Within the overall framework set out in this guidance, local areas are free
to develop their own solutions, based on their own assessed needs and
available resources. In every case, however, a clear and effective model
has to be in place, with clearly assigned responsibilities to ensure that
PPOs can be offered the maximum support to become non-offending and
productive members of society.

14. As part of this effort local agencies, particularly the police, prisons and
probation, need to establish ways of working together, e.g. via a Joint
Agency Group structure (or similar), to help rehabilitate and resettle PPOs,
prioritising PPOs for appropriate interventions in prison or the community
and ensuring a seamless handover after release. Strong local partnerships
between police, probation and prisons need to be put in place, where they
do not already exist, to ensure that Offender Managers can take the lead
in managing the rehabilitation of offenders whilst under statutory order and
in making effective post-sentence arrangements. Existing initiatives should
provide services where this is appropriate, e.g. CJITs for problematic drug
users and YOTs for young offenders. In each CDRP area, the CDRP
should consider whether to assign lead responsibility to a single Agency
for ensuring that the actions set out in this guidance are taken. In that
case it would be desirable to assign a lead individual at senior level within
the Agency in question. Where CDRPs decide not to assign a lead
responsibility in this way they will need to ensure that alternative, equally
effective, arrangements are in place.

15. In parallel, Regional Offender Managers (ROMS), under the National

Offender Management Service, will be developing and implementing
regional reducing re-offending action plans by April 2005, based on an
assessment of their regional offender profiles and needs.

16. The National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan was published in July
2004. It is available at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/5505reoffending.pdf

17. The plan is based on the Social Exclusion Unit's report on Reducing re-
offending by ex-prisoners. Over sixty national action points that have been
agreed across Government, covering all the key areas or pathways to
support the rehabilitation of offenders. For each nationally agreed action
point, the plan suggests complementary activity for the consideration of
those working at regional and local level. There is a particular focus on the
resettlement of offenders receiving custodial sentences but there is also
important action specifically directed at the needs of those sentenced in
the community.

18. CDRPs, working in conjunction with other partners at local authority and
regional level, will need to be engaged in developing their own
rehabilitation action plans to support the needs of PPOs in their areas, in
accordance with the intervention pathways set out in the National
Reducing Re-offending Action Plan. A checklist to support the

Page 6
 development of a Local Reducing Re-offending Action Plan is available at
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo.

19. The table below outlines the key actions required to implement the
Rehabilitate and Resettle strand.

Action Lead Owner

LOCAL
1) Establish local PPO team and partnership to identify and CDRPs, working in conjunction
provide a premium service to all PPOs (as set out in the with LCJBs and partners
catch and convict framework).
2) Establish and agree local protocols, within the Data CDRPs, working in conjunction
Protection Act, to facilitate information sharing between key with LCJBs and partners
agencies and partners (as set out in the catch and convict
framework, a good practice example is available at
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo).
3) Develop Local Reducing Re-offending Action Plan CDRPs, working in conjunction
pathways as indicated below (Full Local Implementation with LCJBs and other county
Checklist available on www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo ) and regional partners
Pathway Action Lead
Accommodation Map and analyse Probation/
existing housing LA
provision in prison,
local authority and
probation areas
Education, Enable offenders to Probation
Training and develop skills learning and Prisons,
Employment and gain accreditation working with
to apply to day to day key
living and enable them stakeholders
to secure employment including the
Learning and
Skills Council
and
Jobcentre
Plus

Mental and Development of NHS

Physical Health services for offenders Partners,
with mental and Probation,
physical health Prisons
problems in the
community in
consultation with key
stakeholders
Drugs and Work with key CDRP/
Alcohol partners to ensure DATs/CJITs
there are services for
offenders with drug
and alcohol addictions
Finance, Benefit Examine the possibility Prisons,
and Debt of easing access to Probation,
social fund loans for Jobcentre
ex-prisoners Plus and
voluntary and
private
sector.

Page 7
Children and Implement the Prisons/
Families of emerging strategy on Probation/
Offenders the needs of children LA/ key
and families of stakeholders
offenders (Sure Start)
Attitudes, Develop a joint work Prisons/
Thinking and plan between prison Probation
Behaviour and probation
4) Establish local governance arrangements for managing CDRPs, working in conjunction
offenders with LCJBs and partners
5) Develop communications with sentencers LCJBs, working in conjunction
with probation and partners
6) Align offender management initiatives. e.g. CJIP, Street CDRPs, working in conjunction
Crime etc with DATs, LCJBs and
partners
REGIONAL
7) Map availability of pathway, support and intervention Regional Offender Manager
programmes (in-reach and in community) across regions to (ROM)
support the work of local PPO teams.
8) Identify a range of potential partners to assist with/ ROM working with
provide the various interventions e.g. Jobcentre Plus and • HO Regional Director and
Learning and Skills Councils staff in the Government
Office
• Regional Development
Agency
9) Ensure that within the regional framework, specialist ROM working with
services are available to meet any specialist needs of the • HO Regional Director and
local PPO profile. staff in the Government
Office
• Regional Development
Agency
10) Agree regional protocols for information sharing and Government Office (GO)
storage with partner and stakeholders within agreed
national guidance.
NATIONAL
11) Use data on existing provisions in Prison, Local Home Office (NOMS)
Authority and Probation Areas to expand available
services.
12) Bring together main stakeholders and gain commitment Home Office (National
across the range of stakeholders to prioritise PPOs for Reducing Re-offending
intervention and pathway services (use National Reducing Delivery Board)
Re-offending Action Plan framework)
13) Establish performance management framework, Home Office (Crime
including KPIs, support to priority areas, knowledge and Directorate)
best practice sharing.
14) Shared use by Prison Service and Probation Service of Home Office (Prison Service,
OASys, once the IT is in place, as a single accessible National Probation Directorate)
assessment and sentence plan for both services.
15) Advise the Police Force and the Offender Manager of Home Office (Prison Service)
likely date of release from custody (12 month plus cases
only, pending custody plus implementation)

Governance
20. The PPO Strategy is based on the principle that CDRPs have lead
responsibility for delivering all three strands of the strategy, in conjunction
with Local Criminal Justice Boards who have responsibility for setting the
overall framework for their area.

Page 8
21. Some of the key partner agencies responsible for delivering the
Rehabilitate and Resettle strand operate at county or regional level. It is
therefore important that CDRPs and LCJBs agree an effective governance
mechanism which brings together and co-ordinates the activity of all
agencies involved in a PPO's journey along the pathways of the
Rehabilitate and Resettle process.

22. The LCJB should consider whether any multi-agency governance

arrangements which it has set up under the Catch & Convict Strand will be
able to oversee the other strands of activity in the programme and ensure
that all relevant partners are included. Arrangements at CDRP level need
to ensure very strong links – normally via Probation – with the NOMS Case
Manager, who actually tracks the PPO through the post-sentence phase.
In this way, the CDRP will be able to plan for, and manage, those
pathways relevant for a particular PPO.

23. Government Offices are accountable for ensuring that appropriate

governance arrangements are in place in their regions.

24. Each CDRP Chair is responsible, with the support of the LCJB and GO, for
ensuring that there are effective arrangements in place which bring
together the key partners to commission and co-ordinate the action set out
in this guidance. CDRPs should consider whether to establish a sub group
of the CDRP to manage the rehabilitation and resettle strand of the
strategy. Such a sub group might consist as a minimum of:

• Police
• Probation
• Prisons (where there is a close by prison releasing into the CDRP/
scheme area)
• CPS
• Local authority –Social Services & Housing
• Courts service
• Drug Action Team
• Jobcentre Plus

Where CDRPs do not establish such a sub group they will need to ensure
that alternative arrangements are in place for managing this strand of the
strategy. Whatever approach is taken LCJBs should be able to help in
securing the right range and level of support from their partners for each
scheme within its area.

25. Any other agencies identified locally as able to support this strand should
also be invited to participate.

PPO Offender Management Group

26. All CDRPs need to ensure also that effective arrangements are in place for
multi-agency management of offenders. An example case conference
meeting structure for assessing the progress made (e.g. at monthly
intervals) for each PPO within a local scheme is available at

Page 9
 www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo. Government Offices should also be able
to assist in providing further information.

Funding
27. A list of possible additional funding sources is available at
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo to assist areas to develop their local PPO
schemes.

Further Information

28. Examples of good practice and case studies are maintained on the Home
Office’s Crime Reduction website (www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo).

29. Further guidance will be issued as required to address in greater detail

issues such as information sharing, performance management,
partnership working and other issues of concern.

30. A central team in the Home Office, involving members of all the Criminal
Justice Departments, will coordinate ongoing support to PPO teams,
including regional roadshows to share good practice. Government Offices
will be able to provide further details on theses events.

31. Enquiries or questions about any aspect of this guidance are welcome.
They should be addressed in the first instance to Chetan Patel (0207 035
5220 or chetan.patel@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk) or Gregg Mead (0207 035
5225 or gregg.mead@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)

Prolific and Priority Offenders Project Team

2nd Floor, Allington Towers
19 Allington Street
London SW1E 5EB

8 September 2004

Page 10
 Annex A
ANNEX A: PROBATION OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE

Local PPO Scheme Staffing

1. Probation will contribute sufficient resources at a Local Criminal Justice

Board level to Prolific and Priority Offender Schemes to ensure that the
local crime reduction objectives are met. Probation areas will be asked to
include the schemes in their annual business planning process.

Identification of PPOs and criteria for removal from the scheme

2. The police and probation services will jointly develop criteria for the
selection and prioritisation of PPOs and for when it is appropriate to
remove an individual from a scheme. Probation will also, together with the
police, keep prisons and CJIP informed of all PPOs on the scheme.

Information sharing protocols

3. Probation will contribute to and sign-up to a local/regional data sharing

protocol, based on data being collected and shared in order to reduce
crime.

Provision of Services for all PPOs

4. Probation will prioritise PPOs for the provision of all interventions, for
which they have been assessed as suitable, whether the interventions are
provided directly by probation or through other providers. Exceptions to the
prioritisation of PPOs will be made for those who pose a greater risk of
harm to the public e.g. violent and sex offenders who are therefore dealt
with under MAPPA.

Assignment of an offender manager

5. Each identified PPO who is under statutory supervision will be assigned an

offender manager.

Monitoring and information sharing

6. The offender manager will be responsible for

• assessment, and sentence and rehabilitation planning for offenders;

• managing implementation of the resulting plans;
• ensuring the provision of intensive supervision;
• monitoring behaviour;
• sharing information with the police;
• using information from partners to support supervision and monitoring;
• sharing OASys assessments with prisons;
• inputting data and information into case files and ensuring that details
of known PPOs are passed on (suggested forms are on
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ppo ); and
• enforcing court orders

Page 11
 Annex A
It will be Probation’s responsibility to inform outside agencies (including, in
relation to drug misusing offenders, CJIT) of PPO status during statutory
supervision, where this is relevant to the objectives of supervision and to
make effective post-sentence arrangements or provide ongoing case
management.

Pre Sentence Reports

7. Probation will prioritise all PPOs for a Pre-Sentence Report (PSR), which
will include an analysis of patterns of offending behaviours and the plans
to reduce them. Probation will use PSRs to promote the appropriate use of
community sentences for offenders at risk of receiving a short term
custodial sentence and specify their supervision proposals under a PPO
scheme. For offenders in custody, Probation will send a copy of the PSR
to the prison within 48 hours of sentence.

8. Local communication with the courts is an important part of the scheme.

Chief Officers will work in conjunction with the LCJB to ensure that
sentencers are aware of the parameters and objectives of the PPO
scheme.

9. When a PSR is prepared, the author will liaise with staff from CJIP or
CARATS, where an offender is known to have involvement with them, to
ensure that the proposed plan for supervision addresses drug treatment
needs.

OASys assessment / sentence and rehabilitation planning

10. NOMS will feed into the Sentencing Guidelines Council to promote the
appropriate use of community sentences for PPOs rather than
inappropriate use of short prison sentences from which offenders are
released without supervision. It is recommended that PPOs be considered
for priority access to places in probation approved premises as a condition
of residence where appropriate.

11. Where an OASys assessment has not been carried out for a PSR or while
in custody, the offender manager will undertake one at the appropriate
time if the PPO becomes a statutory case

Implementation of sentence and rehabilitation plan

12. Offender managers will be responsible for managing the rehabilitation

plan of PPOs under statutory supervision. PPOs will be supervised in
accordance with Home Office national standards.

13. Each PPO should receive a cross-agency rehabilitation plan as part of

their sentence plan, identifying all the interventions and services to support
rehabilitation. Probation staff designated as offender managers will work
with their prison counterparts (in the case of custodial sentences) to make
full use of OASys assessments.

Page 12
 Annex A
14. The National Reducing Re-offending Action Plan provides the framework
under which intervention pathways will be developed in local areas.
Probation will play a full role in developing these interventions at local and
regional level.

Tracking PPOs through Prison

15. In order for everyone involved to keep track of PPOs in custody, Probation
will liaise with Prisons on the location of the PPO and the interventions
received by them whilst in prison and will pass on information to
appropriate agencies and stakeholders.

Ongoing support beyond sentence

16. Probation do not have the powers to and are not resourced to case
manage PPOs beyond the end of their sentence. Probation will, however,
ensure that a robust plan exists for the end of the statutory supervision
phase of a PPO’s rehabilitation, including continued support and case
management from CJIP for problematic drug users.

Swift action against re-offenders (order and licence breaches,

revocation and recall)

17. For those who fail to comply with orders or licences, probation will ensure
breach action is instigated promptly. The police are responsible for
enforcement of warrants which bring the offender back to court or
execution of warrants for recall where a licence is revoked. Probation will
also ensure that the prison service is aware of the offender’s PPO status
and inform CJIP of a return to court or recall.

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 Annex B

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ANNEX B: GUIDANCE ON THE PARTICIPATION OF PRISONS

Local PPO Scheme Staffing

1. Area managers will take account of PPO schemes within their Regional
Resettlement Strategies. Prisons holding PPOs will provide a liaison point
for the police and other agencies. Where staffing resources permit, a
dedicated PPO liaison officer may be provided in an establishment and
prison officers may be seconded to local PPO teams to assist with liaison.

Identification of PPOs

2. Prisons will have input into the selection and prioritisation of PPOs as
appropriate. Prisons will be informed of all PPOs and input specific
intelligence on them to assist with ongoing modifications to the PPO list.

Information sharing protocols

3. Prisons will sign-up to a data sharing protocol ensuring that data is

procured and shared to achieve the crime reduction objectives, consistent
with the Data Protection Act.

Provision of Services for all PPOs

4. Priority should be given to all PPOs for provision of suitable interventions

except where this would displace offenders of a higher priority such as
those who pose a greater risk to the public - violent and sex offenders -
and those with greater clinical need.

Assignment of an offender supervisor

5. Where dedicated PPO liaison officers are in place, they will work with the
probation based offender manager (as part of the PPO scheme) in
managing the offender whilst in custody

6. Each drug misusing PPO will be offered a CARATS assessment. Links

with the relevant CJIT will also be made.

Monitoring and information sharing

7. Prisons will share OASys or other assessments with probation. Prisons will
also share sentence plan progress and offending behaviour programme
outcomes and action points with probation, provide home police (and
probation in statutory cases) with release date and address (where known)
– at least 28 days in advance, wherever practicable. When release is on
Home Detention Curfew (HDC), prisons will provide the release date as
soon as it is known. Where extra resources are provided and staffing
levels permit a nominated prison worker will liase with the home probation
officer who is designated as the offender manager.

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 Annex B

Pre Sentence Report

8. No action required

OASys assessment / sentence and rehabilitation planning

9. In prison PPOs will continue to have their needs assessed and addressed.
Prisons will conduct OASys assessments for those sentenced to 12
months or over. At present, short term prisoners (serving under 12
months) are not generally subject to an OASys assessment. Where trained
staff are available, prisons will conduct OASys or other risk and needs
assessments for these PPOs in collaboration with the offender manager.
Prisons will conduct assessments for those offenders, particularly 18-20 yr
olds, who may have been sentenced without a PSR but will be subject to
statutory licence requirements.

Implementation of sentence and rehabilitation plan

10. Prisons will work to ensure successful completion of sentence plans and
prioritise PPOs for location in an establishment in their home area, where
this is compatible with security and control considerations. Prisons will also
facilitate in-reach service access to establish a pre-release relationship
between the PPO and external services as part of the release preparations

Tracking PPOs through Prison estate

11. On a weekly basis staff in Prison Service headquarters will inform prisons
of any PPOs newly arrived from court into their custody. The prison will
then add a flag to the LIDS record, which will travel with the prisoner if they
move to another establishment.

Ongoing support beyond sentence

12. No action required

Swift action against re-offenders (licence breaches, revocation and

recall)

13. When a PPO is recalled on licence revocation, and it is known that the
PPO is a CJIP client, prisons will inform the CJIT as to which Prison the
PPO is being held in. Prisons will be ready to change licence conditions
where necessary.

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