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December 25, 2008
LOUISE CASEY
"I suppose you can't binge drink any more because lots of people have said you can't do it," she said. "I don't know who bloody made that up; it's nonsense ... Doing things sober is no way to get things done." (Speech to an audience of chief police officers, 2006) "There is an obsession with evidence-based policy ... If No 10 says bloody 'evidence-based policy' to me once more I'll deck them one and probably get unemployed." (same speech)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/jul/26/crime.penal1
Thus spoke Louise Casey, variously described as a New Labour apparatchik, ‘homelessness tsar’ and perhaps best known as the director of the home office anti-social behaviour unit. She was a fervent proponent of ASBOs which have now quietly been ditched as a policy failure. Louise is now all about restoring faith in the criminal justice system!!
The latest from Louise is an attack on the probation service as being institutionally on the side of the offender. This was reported by the BBC on Christmas Eve. A fine Christmas message - to peddle an old stereotype about the work of probation. Louise is neither naïve or ignorant. But she is perhaps peeved that her promotion of high visibility – name and shame – attire for community service workers has been poorly received and widely condemned, not just by Napo, but a range of criminal justice agencies and providers of community service work – and by the volume of letters to newspapers, the public too.
It’s a dreary subtext: probation as the blinkered, woolly - minded friend of offenders. A soundbite intended to sting. Just as nurses and teachers are on the side of patients and pupils to respectively help them to recover and succeed, so probation is on the side of offenders to assist them to change. These motivations are all about contributing to positive developments. Louise Casey appears to be the one who is somewhat institutionalized, though it’s difficult to pinpoint her mindset or the century where it would be most at home.
On sober reflection Louise will know accusations that the probation service is institutionally on the side of offenders are nonsense. A former probation officer was instrumental in developing victim support over 25 years, the probation service advises and works with victims of crime on a daily basis, probation workers are directly supporting victims of domestic violence, probation are involved in reparation schemes and so forth. Probation staff think and act in the interests of victims every day. The old saw about probation only having eyes for the offender was never true and anyone who looks at work the probation service actually does would conclude that Louise has made a cheap and unwarranted attack on the work of probation.
Whether the soundbite is ‘restoring faith’ in criminal justice or ‘rebalancing the system' in favour of victims, the government seeks to be populist and appeasing. But if the government was truly mindful of the needs of victims, and acted in the interests of victims, then there would have been no need for the father of Rachel Nickell to have reserved part of his court impact statement to criticism of the criminal injuries compensation board. This is what he said:
"You fight the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for recompense for Alex for losing his mother in horrible circumstances and the loss of her love and parenting skills for the 15 years until he is 18. After seven years he is awarded a derisory amount. The Home Secretary tells you that there is no appeal against this award.”
Adequately and fairly and justly compensating the victims of crime would be the best way for the government to demonstrate concern and compassion. But that’s another world away from soundbites…
Posted by Hampshire at 12:27 AM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2008
"... FLOATING LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT LIT UP IN SPACE, FRAGILE - LOOKING"
Posted by Hampshire at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2008
LEGAL ADVICE FROM THOMPSONS
THOMPSONS ARE NAPO'S SOLICITORS. HERE ARE SOME LEAFLETS WHICH PROVIDE USEFUL GUIDANCE.
STRESS AT WORK
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE
SEX DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT
PERSONAL INJURY
Posted by Hampshire at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
LANDMARK RULINGS STRENGTHEN GAY RIGHTS IN WORKPLACE
“Discrimination against gay people in the workplace will be treated more harshly by the courts after two landmark judgments yesterday. Lillian Ladele, the registrar who refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies "as a matter of religious conscience", lost her case against Islington council in north London. And Stephen English, a married man who was driven out of his job after being repeatedly called a "faggot" by colleagues had an employment tribunal ruling that he had not been the victim of sexual harassment overturned by the court of appeal. The employment appeal tribunal ruled that Islington council had been entitled to discipline Ladele and threaten her with dismissal, even though her conduct was the result of "her strong and genuinely held Christian beliefs". The council had been entitled to the view that..." [read full story]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/20/gayrights-law
Posted by Hampshire at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)
WHAT'S IN A NOMS?
Some of you may have noticed that the old NOMS logo has been decommissioned with the full name of the organisation being subsumed into the Ministry of Justice template(s).
This information was shared in a document providing 'interim brandmark guidance' issued by NOMS internal communications (sic). Interestingly, the foreword to this document asserted that the 'National Offender Management Service was launched in April 2008'! Have I missed something here? I know the organisation has been an unmitigated disaster since its inception - and I stand by my belief that that unfortunate event took place in 2004! - but re-writing history in an attempt to shorten its existence is truly Orwellian in its audacity!
Anyway, the new logo is only good until April 2009 after which 'there may be a change to the brand position'. Perhaps then we may be told that it never existed in the first place! (General Secretary's Weblog)
Posted by Hampshire at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2008
SOCIAL CARE IS STALINIST. THAT'S NOT AN INSULT, IT'S A FACT.
"In social work, insanity is now squared. After social workers, it's Ofsted's turn to come under fire. If Haringey social work department got a 'good' ranking last year (as it did at the time of Victoria Climbié, incidentally), it must be because people were at fault. Inspectors didn't inspect devious, cheating social workers closely enough, just as social workers were taken in by devious, cheating families.
The only explanation for the contradiction that isn't entertained is the obvious one: the star-ranking system, for social work as for every other public service, is as broken and bankrupt as the ghastly management system it drives."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/dec/14/social-workers-care-haringey-child-abuse
Posted by Hampshire at 06:49 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2008
CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCES REPORT
Unions welcome criminal justice resources report
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies report, Criminal justice: resourcing staffing and workloads, commissioned by the Justice Unions was published today, 8th December.
The study concludes that the criminal justice system faces major pressures in the coming years “with contradictory government policy placing staff under enormous strain”.
The report continues: “The key criminal justice agencies face a grim future of staffing cuts, wage freezes and increased work for those that remain”.
The study confirms that the justice system has benefitted from above inflation budget growth since 1991, but points out that once staff levels and increases in workloads are taken into account, as well as structural upheaval, these real term budget increases are far less generous than they appear.
The report also states that: “Government policy on prisons is mired in contradiction and it is difficult to see how such an approach can be sustained in the long term.”
Posted by Hampshire at 06:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2008
UNPAID WORK ASSESSMENT FORM
Under the costly aegis of the management consultants Ad Essee there are to be changes in who completes the unpaid work assessment form. There was a pilot study in the north of the area, though there is no written report, so it’s problematic to assess the value of the ‘research’. However there have been PowerPoint presentations suggesting that changing the whole induction process and who completes the unpaid work assessment form will mean hitting targets across the whole area.
These are organisational changes. Napo and Unison have not been consulted on these changes and what information we have has been gleaned from reports from members who have attended briefings on the pilot. The briefings are not to be confused with the implementations plans though the unions have not seen those either. Members are bothered by the proposed changes. This is organisational change planned for early next year. There is concern about training and there is concern about how much time will be allocated to complete the new task. There is also concern about what appears a quite dated assessment form. At the very least we should be informing offenders about community payback and risk assessing any expressed concerns.
There has been no Equality Impact Assessment of the impact of the proposed changes that may be associated with a lengthy induction process. It would appear that an offender claiming benefit will not be required to alter their signing on day, but those employed will be expected to take a day off work to attend inductions. There is a national standard that seeks to prevent the delivery of probation programmes undermining a person’s employment position, but those employed will be expected to attend day long inductions. An individual losing their job is a high price for hitting a target. An EIA would assist with understanding and possibly addressing these conflicts. There is no sense that diversity issues, or barriers to engagement have been addressed.
This task was previously carried out by unpaid work staff, it then transferred to case managers and now its province will be with report writers. How long will it take to complete the five page assessment? The questions range from safeguarding children to the size of boots the worker will need. Despite the pilot the evidence on time is anecdotal: 15 minutes – 20 tops! The offender will be credited with 60 minutes for the assessment. The logic of this equation is hard to fathom, but not as much as the assumption that staff can whiz through the assessment in 15 minutes – 20 tops! The proposed agreement on workloads has been knocked off course because of concerns about the failure of HPA to formally provide a time weighting for this new task that will be loaded onto report writers. But the principle runs deeper. In the past HPA have introduced new work but not bothered to provide weightings and staff have just been expected to get on with it! There is no objection here to new tasks or changes in who performs the task. The issue is workloads and providing staff with the necessary training so they can confidently and safely deliver. Making assessments is not a stroll in the park. Judgements about risk are important and staff under pressure to perform are at risk themselves of making rushed decisions. The fact is every decision made at the frontline may potentially form part of the questioning in a serious further offence case review. That is why staff deserve the support, training and time to reach decisions. That is what we would call defensible management.
Posted by Hampshire at 08:44 PM | Comments (0)
SICKNESS ABSENCE - REMINDER
THIS EXTRACT IS TAKEN FROM THE ENTRY DATED 4TH MAY WHICH GIVES A FULLER ACCOUNT OF PROCEDURES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED. THIS NOTE IS TO REFRESH AND REMIND MEMBERS OF WHERE THEY STAND. WHENEVER YOU FIND YOURSELF INVOLVED IN THESE PROCEDURES IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEEK UNION ADVICE IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
LETTER TO ATTEND A FORMAL MEETING:
The template letters that are sent to staff to inform that they are required to attend a formal meeting to address their unsatisfactory absence are inadequate. The letter undermines the legal right to be accompanied by a trade union official by the way it is worded. This has led to problems about setting up meetings. In addition, the template letter contradicts the policy. This is what the policy says the letter should say:
‘The line manager must: set out details of the unsatisfactory attendance, including a copy of all relevant documentation, e.g. copies of return to work interview notes and OHS advice’
Unfortunately this never happens: details of the unsatisfactory absence are never set out. All we see are the number of days - reaching the trigger. All relevant documentation must be provided, but the template letter has dropped the word ‘must’ and inserted ‘whenever possible’.
For Napo to effectively represent members we need to see all the evidence that is being drawn upon to allege unsatisfactory absence. Napo gets accused of being unreasonable, adding to delays, even being the cause of stress for members, for insisting that all the information is provided. Unfortunately it is rarely provided intact. When it is the quality can be poor, with no evidence of growing concerns, a chain of reasoning; evidence/documentation can be non-existent. We are told not to be too fussy because the formal meeting is not a disciplinary meeting. We strongly dispute that assertion. The reason why members have the right to be accompanied is because they are attending a formal meeting that is disciplinary-based. It is the start of a process that may lead to dismissal. In such circumstances it is no surprise that the policy says all evidence and documentation must be provided. It is unacceptable to take a less rigorous approach with ‘whenever possible’ It is probable that in due course there will be dismissals. Napo would look extremely foolish and incompetent for condoning practices that failed to provide their members’ with the actual evidence their dismissals were based upon. This is what paragraph 2, bullet point 2 of the policy says: ‘Ensure that clear reporting and recording procedures are in place’ Twelve months on they are not in place.
LINE MANAGER DISCRETION:
This has been another area of contention. This is what the policy says and what we agreed last October with HPA because there was considerable confusion, caused by the way the policy had been unilaterally implemented by HPA. We hoped the Joint Statement would lead to clarity. In relation to the role of the line managers the Joint Statement said,
‘In respect of possible action under stage one, the policy contains trigger points for short-term absences of either 6 separate absences or 12 days in a twelve month rolling period (pro rata for part time staff). We agree that on reaching a trigger point it is the responsibility of the line manager, who may consult with HR, to make a judgement, based on the individual circumstances of each case, as to whether the sickness absence warrants referral to the formal unsatisfactory attendance procedure.’
Posted by Hampshire at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2008
JUSTICE UNDER STRESS - PUBLIC MEETING
THURSDAY, 11th December, 6.00pm – 7.30pm
Southampton Guildhall, Lecture Theatre, West Marlands Rd, Southampton
Speakers include:
DINO PEROS, NATIONAL VICE CHAIR NAPO
RICHARD MARSHALL, BRANCH CHAIR – NAPO HAMPSHIRE & ISLE OF WIGHT
SPEAKER TBC FROM UNISON
SPEAKER TBC FROM THE POLICE
The trade unions with members working in the Justice System have come together to organise a series of events in December to highlight our growing concerns about rising workloads and falling resources. The whole of our criminal justice system, the courts, probation, prisons and the police, face severe problems. The latest information from the Ministry of Justice suggests there will be 10,000 job cuts across the sector over the next three years. These will include: over 3,000 cuts to Courts’ staff; just under 3,000 Prison posts lost; and over 20% cut in the Probation budgets.
MELTDOWN
This will affect everyone. The fear is that the Justice System will cease to be able to fulfil its statutory duties; there will be more crime and more victims.
Posted by Hampshire at 08:45 PM | Comments (0)
TIME AND MOTION STUDIES
In the middle of last week both Napo and Unison were contacted by members who work in the courts. Out of the blue they were being told to record their activities every fifteen minutes. The Unions had no foreknowledge of this exercise, nor, when asked, did HR. So where it came from is a mystery. What is does achieve, however, is the creation of a sense of uncertainty and worry. In the current climate, with worries about job losses growing, there must be a way of collecting data in a manner that is understood and supported by those affected.
In the recent staff survey one category where respondents held poor perceptions was in their sense of not having their views appropriately considered by senior managers. Nearly two-thirds of respondents did not believe that senior managers listened to or responded to their concerns. Add this to the perception that nearly half of all respondents looked upon the process of change as a source of concern and worry, then it is not at all surprising that so many members contacted the Unions to express their anxieties about being told to do something they had not previously been consulted about.
In the "bad old days" of industrial relations, Time and Motion studies were often seen as a tool for the management to exploit the workers. The Time and Motion study - sometimes carried out in secret - could be used to pressurise people to work harder or lose their jobs. It's not surprising that many workers came to resent the whole concept of time and motion.
A Time and Motion study carried out openly with full buy-in from all concerned can be of mutual benefit. The best way to ensure full cooperation is to, firstly, seek it and, secondly, ensure the findings are shared between employer and the workforce.
The methodologies used to collect data are as important as the data itself. What use HPA seek to put their ‘findings’ to will no doubt become clearer. Napo will be seeking an explanation as to why members were not prepared or consulted about the exercise. It is apparent from the reaction of members that the approach taken has not been conducive to the maintenance of good morale.
The probation service is heading into unchartered territory. We face cuts, trusts and probable reorganisations that will be far reaching. It is important that individuals recognise the importance of working collectively through Napo. Support for Napo needs to be active, because in supporting your union you are most effectively supporting yourself - it is important to attend branch meetings.
Posted by Hampshire at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)
SYSTEMS FAILURE?
"But the pressure on social workers, effectively tied to their desks by bureaucracy, reveals systemic problems in child protection. "Workers report being more worried about missed deadlines than missed visits," said Professor Sue White, who is studying five child protection departments for the University of Lancaster. "The [computer] system regularly takes up 80% of their day."
"If you go into a social work office today there's no chatter, nobody is talking about the cases, it is just people tapping at computers," said White.
One social worker interviewed by White's team said: "I spend my day click- clicking and then I'll get an email from someone else - say a fostering agency- asking for a bit more information on a child: 'Could we please have a pen picture of the three children'. It's horrendous.
"It's impossible to get a picture of the child," said another. "It's all over the place on the computer system ... That coupled with the number of people involved in the case makes my life very difficult."
To read article in full...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/nov/19/baby-p-child-protection-system
Posted by Hampshire at 08:09 AM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2008
BABY P
"Social workers and other professionals need to work within a system that encourages them to use their analytical skills rather than being tied to a tick-box culture that may allow the likes of Haringey to look good on paper despite all the shocking evidence to the contrary."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/01/baby-p-childprotection
AN INSPECTOR CALLS: WE FAILED OVER HARINGEY - OFSTED HEAD
“Managers in Haringey misled Ofsted by providing inaccurate data, the chief inspector said.
Tactics used by the council included claims that managers had assessed children promptly when the files revealed that those assessments were in fact incomplete. The same files showed that such assessments of children were routinely and wrongly made with their parent or guardian in the room, when they could have been the ones harming them.”
Read full article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/dec/06/ofsted-child-protection
The inspectorate is saying that Haringey manipulated their performance ratings by hiding behind ‘false data’. This resonates with the probation experience: the tick – box, performance-driven, cash-linked culture has long raised concerns about real underlying performance. The public services have proved adept at producing statistics for the government. But many practitioners have increasingly become skeptical about the worth of the data. Professionals has been playing second fiddle to managerialism - incessant organisational restructuring, sharpening of incentives, and expansion in the number, power and remuneration of senior managers, with a corresponding downgrading of the role of skilled workers, and particularly of professionals.
Posted by Hampshire at 08:57 PM | Comments (0)