Penny puts own stamp on probation scheme

WAY forward... that’s Penny Barker

OLDHAM probation is trailblazing a unique scheme it believes will protect the public and rehabilitate high-risk criminals.

The borough has been named as the second best performing district in the Greater Manchester Probation Trust (GMPT) for re-offending rates.

To further improve the service, it has become the first in the country to split the borough’s case load of high-risk offenders into two geographical areas and link up police officers and probation staff to carry out home visits.

Penny Barker, assistant chief executive, heads Oldham Probation, which employs more than 70 staff at three sites across the borough.

She said: “Part of the new initiative is that for the first time police officers and probation staff will be carrying out home visits to high risk offenders together.

“We are also altering how we manage high-risk offenders, and will effectively be splitting the borough in two and supervising them in a manner which more intimately ties us to the local community and forges closer links with Oldham Council and the police.

“Our aims are to better protect the public, to help offenders re-integrate into their community and to stop them committing more crime.”

Probation staff will link into neighbourhood police teams. When an offender is released from jail, home visits will be carried out by a member of probation and a police officer. The Ministry of Justice sets targets for each area, and Oldham — according to the most recent figures — is surpassing the re-offending rate by 10 per cent.

Ms Barker added: “Earlier in the year GMPT received Green Star status from the Government as a result of being a top performing probation area, so for Oldham to be doing so well within the organisation is a fantastic achievement.”