Probation
The Merseyside Probation Trust is part of the National Offender Management Service, which in turn is part of the Ministry of Justice. It employs around 720 staff in over 30 locations across the county.
Each Probation Trust is run by a local Trust Board, selected to reflect the diversity and concerns of the community it serves. The organisation has teams operating in each of the area's six Magistrates Courts and Liverpool Crown Court, and also has a probation team in the innovative Community Justice Centre in Kirkdale, Liverpool.
The Trust serves around £1.4 million people across the whole of the Merseyside area, and its annual budget is around £30 million.
The Trust also runs three probation/bail hostels for those who require 24 hour intensive supervision, and has staff operating in Merseyside's three prisons - HMP Liverpool, HMP Altcourse and HMP Kennett.
The organisation works closely with the Police, and operates in partnership with over 40 other statutory and voluntary organisations. The Probation Service also plays an important role in local area Criminal Justice Boards, each of which comprises the heads of Probation, Police, CPS, Courts and Prisons.
In June 2004 the Government announced the introduction of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which incorporates both the Prison and Probation Services.
In the past, responsibility for a case would transfer between probation and prison staff, depending on whether the offender was serving their sentence in custody or out in the community. Under NOMS the responsibility for a case rests with just one person (the case manager) throughout the duration of a sentence, be it in custody or out in the community.
Offenders continue to be monitored and supported through the punishment, reparation and rehabilitation processes. The police, NOMS and other organisations, such as health and housing services, may continue to have a role, even after an offender's sentence has been completed.
The Ministry of Justice now oversees NOMS operations.