A lack of staff to supervise Jersey’s community service scheme could result in more people being sent to prison, the Probation Service has warned.
Published this week, the Probation Service’s Annual Report 2024 warned that it had become “increasingly difficult” to recruit staff to supervise offenders carrying out unpaid work in the community due to challenges around pay, working hours, and the “challenging” nature of the role.
“The issue is that it has become increasingly difficult to recruit community service staff due to the rates of pay, working hours and the challenging clientele,” the report said.
“Without adequate staffing, the scheme will experience delays, which is likely to have an adverse effect on client compliance and the confidence of the courts.
“As community service is a direct alternative to custody, there is a risk that an ineffective service will lead to increased numbers of offenders going to prison.”
More than 16,000 hours of community service were completed last year, with offenders carrying out around £186,500 worth of unpaid work for local charities and non-profit organisations.
This was a significant increase on the 12,000 hours delivered in 2023, with all non-profit organisations surveyed saying they were satisfied with the work carried out.
To keep the scheme running, the Probation Service has brought in security company G4S to help supervise placements – a partnership described in the report as “working well” by providing “necessary cover”.
A recent recruitment drive also led to the appointment of an extra part-time supervisor, according to the report.
The report added that some young offenders were now able to count ‘Positive Steps’ rehabilitation sessions towards their community service hours, which has helped to reduce pressure on the team.
The issue of community service staffing is not new, with the 2023 report also warning of growing difficulty attracting weekend supervisors, with concerns over the risk of delays, burnout among existing staff, and reduced morale.
It said: “It has become increasingly difficult to attract weekend supervisors to work on the community service scheme.
“Without adequate staffing there is a risk that clients will be delayed in starting their orders which is unsatisfactory.
“Staffing shortages also place an extra burden on existing staff with attendant risks of burn out and poor morale.”