Probation service to be re-nationalised from 2020

Supervision of offenders on probation will be re-nationalised it was announced on Thursday.

The probation system was part-privatised by former justice secretary Chris Grayling in 2014.

The National Audit Office calculated that the change has cost taxpayers almost £500 million as it was confirmed that the National Probation Service will monitor offenders from 2020.

In response Suresh Joshi, a partner at JD Solicitors, said: "We find ourselves in a situation where the government has performed another U-Turn by re-nationalising the Probation Service.

"We work daily in the courts and were of the view that re-nationalisation was inevitable sooner or later. The probation service have a crucial role in the legal system."

The National Probation Service is currently managing highest risk offenders, with private companies managing medium and low risk offender's probation periods.

The current justice secretary David Gauke said that the system wasn't working and the re-nationalisation was the best way to rehabilitate past offenders.

Mr Joshi added: "By passing the running of the probation service to the private sector this would inevitably have caused cuts which would affect the quality of the service provided to offenders.

"Re-nationalisation will improve the help and support available to offenders this will ensure their integration into society is far more effective and will help to reduce repeat offending rates.

"This will assist in lowering the crime rate. It is apparent that re-nationalisation is most likely the best solution available to ensure we have a probation service which is effective in addressing offenders issues for them to integrate into society."