GFTU BGCM MOTIONS 2019

GFTU BGCM 2019 MOTION 9

NAPO (4)

The Trade Union, Professional Association and campaigning organisation for Probation and Family Court staff

Rehabilitation needed in our Communities.

This BGCM notes with concern the impact that the Government’s “Offender Management in Custody Review” (OMIC) will have on Probation staff and the clients they manage. While we welcome the Keyworker initiative which gives prisoners more access to positive staff interaction, OMiC also means that some prisoners will have an Offender Manager in name only and have little contact with them except when reports are required. Some prisoners will have more contact with their Offender Manager but will face disruption to that crucial working relationship at their most vulnerable time when they approach release or recategorisation. This BGCM notes the position of Napo which is that instead of moving Offender Management into Prisons, which builds in disruption and inconsistency of working relationships throughout the sentence, it would be far better to properly resource Offender Management in the community to enable them to properly prioritise the management of their clients in custody and provide the consistency of relationship required.

The Executive is instructed to support Napo’s efforts to ensure that the deficiencies in the OMiC plans are highlighted at every level.

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