Probation staff face rising levels of abuse on offender work schemes

Napo, the trade union for probation staff, found that there had been hundreds of incidents of abuse in recent months from offenders, offenders being attacked by rival gang members and threats being made.

Unpaid work placements, previously known as community service, are primarily reserved for adult offenders although some 16- to 18-year-olds are placed on the schemes.

Napo claims the number of incidents is on the rise and Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the union, has called for an urgent review of the staffing and training of those supervising unpaid work.

"Sessional supervisors are increasingly reporting that they are scared on site and reluctant to report bad behaviour for fear of reprisals," he said.

"It is quite scandalous that staff are paid £8.50 an hour to be systematically abused. Not surprisingly, there is a high turnover of staff."

Gareth Jones, deputy chair of the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers, said numbers of young offenders on such schemes are generally low and community reparation projects are preferred to unpaid work.

He added that there does not appear to be any significant issues arising with reparation schemes.

"If it’s a problem in the adult world we need to make sure it doesn’t move to the youth justice world," he said.