Police/probation partnerships – the anticipated impact of “transforming rehabilitation”

The purpose of this paper is to outline findings from research into Integrated Offender Management (IOM), an example of multi-agency working between the police, probation and drug treatment services, and how this is expected to be affected by the “Transforming Rehabilitation” (TR) changes to the probation service being introduced by the Ministry of Justice.

The methodological approach was realistic evaluation. The findings of this paper draw upon semi-structured interviews undertaken with IOM staff, offenders and a small number of national IOM portfolio holders. Observations of the operation of IOM in the local site have also been used.

Three underpinning mechanisms within IOM were uncovered during the research, all of which are at risk from the TR changes.

IOM, as it currently operates, will be affected fundamentally by the TR changes, due to the disruption to stable multi-agency working. The research is limited by taking place during the planning and initial roll out of the TR changes; as a result interviewees were commenting on their expectations rather than their direct experience of the changes. However, their experience within IOM makes them well placed to assess the likely impact of TR.

As the TR changes are new, this paper is amongst only a small number seeking to assess their anticipated impact based on primary research.