Indeed! I notice increasingly that HMIP is filling a vacuum with its Insight research and practice papers, however this seems strikingly at odds both with political moves and a crumbling service riven with bullying, racism etc.

"That is the true picture: a service on the brink, obsessed with bureaucratic compliance while neglecting its workforce, its purpose, its identity, and its integrity. Ignorant to everything positive the Probation Institute or anyone else has to say." 5/5

"And yet, the overriding national priority, the one thing managers insist on is ensuring every practitioner completes mandatory training and professional registration by the end of the month." 4/5

"While deckchairs are endlessly shuffled at the top, around 10,000 vacancies remain unfilled." 3/5

"...then the service is staring into a very bleak future (with a crass and dangerous looking Reform leader grinning back with a pint in hand)." 2/5

"Probation does not shy away from the control aspects of the work, but does place such controls in a context of care and concern." 3/3

"Probation practitioners recognise that a key aspect of their work is putting clear and firm boundaries in place, alongside creating supportive and motivational relationships with those under their supervision." 2/3

"These structural disadvantages seem likely to be further entrenched by the provisions of the Sentencing Bill. The Probation Institute regards this as a golden opportunity to forefront a rehabilitative narrative and agenda - in its current form, the Bill appears to be a missed opportunity." 2/2

I share your despair. It is almost as though there is a determination to prove all the evidence about effectiveness wrong with recent policy announcements.