Probation

Circular

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 2003- REFERENCE NO:

ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS 74/2005

PURPOSE ISSUE DATE:

To audit actual and planned use of Activity Requirements in Probation Areas 31 August 2005
as part of CJ Act 2003 sentences.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE:
ACTION Immediate
Chief Officers are asked to ensure completion of the attached pro-forma and
return to NPD by 7th October 2005.
EXPIRY DATE:
SUMMARY October 2005
NPD are considering the merits of a national framework for Activity
Requirements. This PC asks areas to report current and planned activity. TO:
The returns made in this audit will assist further exploration of the options. Chairs of Probation Boards
Chief Officers of Probation
RELEVANT PREVIOUS PROBATION CIRCULARS Secretaries of Probation Boards
PC25/2005
CC:
CONTACT FOR ENQUIRIES Board Treasurers
Randel Barrows or Mark Chidwick – Interventions Unit
randel.barrows@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Regional Managers
Tel 020 7217 8323 Effective Practice Managers
mark.chidwick@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel 020 7217 0681 AUTHORISED BY:
Meg Blumsom, Acting Head of
Community Re-Integration,
Interventions Unit

ATTACHED:
Annexe 1 – to be returned
electronically. No hard copies to
follow.

National Probation Directorate

Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London, SW1P 2AW
Criminal Justice Act 2003: Activity Requirements

Area Audit - September 2005

Introduction

1. Performance data from areas for the period ending June 2005 showed that the courts in England and
Wales made 231 Activity Requirements.
2. The NPD, in consultation with NOMS, is considering what national or regional framework might be put
in place for Activity requirements. A national framework for Activity Requirements, like those for
accredited programmes and drugs interventions, could provide a partnership between NPS areas and
the centre for the development and quality assurance of effective AR practice. Its key features would
be a process for approval; a national database of AR interventions and dissemination of ideas and
evaluation outcomes.
3. The NPD considers that Activity Requirements might provide NPS Areas with opportunities to meet
the following criminal justice and NOMS strategic objectives:

• To assist with the desired changes to sentencing patterns

• To give local probation areas and criminal justice partnerships an opportunity to respond
to local diversity and specific local problems
• To provide a framework for structured interventions that may attract external, partnership
or challenge funding under the civil renewal strategy
• To provide a framework for national innovative or priority developments e.g. provide ‘best
practice’ interventions for the reducing offending pathways identified in the developing
national strategies.
• To fill gaps in the interventions curriculum to fit the new sentencing framework
• To provide an equitable and transparent national structure for Activity Requirement
development
• To develop models of intervention that may be suitable for contestability on a local,
regional or national basis

4. There are clear advantages to a national framework but these must be balanced with the resource
requirements of putting something in place and the possible delays and constraints on effective local
developments. At this stage therefore, an audit is being undertaken to determine the range and extent
of actual and planned AR development and your views on a national framework. This will help to
inform next steps.

Action:

5. NPS areas are asked to audit their local developments and plans and to complete the attached pro-
forma (Annex A) and return it by 7th October to Mark Chidwick mark.chidwick@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

PC74/2005 – Criminal Justice Act 2003 – Activity Requirements 2

 Annexe 1
Criminal Justice Act 2003
NPD Activity Requirement Audit

Pro-forma return

Please complete and return as email attachment by 7th October 2005 to:
mark.chidwick@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

1. Name of Area

3. Name of person completing pro-

forma
4. Lead person for Activity
Requirement work
5. Is your area offering Activity
Requirements to courts? (yes/no)
6. If yes, please provide details (type, 1.
length etc) and go to question 9.
2.

3.

4.
7. If no, is your area planning to offer
Activity requirements to
courts?(yes/no)
8. If yes to question 7 please provide 1.
details
2.

3.

4.

9. If you are already providing Activity

Requirements, please give detail on
date of introduction, approx usage
and any feedback from courts and
staff. ( this can be attached
separately if required)

10. Would your area welcome a

national framework for activity
requirement development? Yes/no
11. Can you say why?