Key Responsiblities

Key Responsiblities

A key responsibility of Cheshire Probation is to provide assistance to the Courts in determining the appropriate sentences to pass and making other decisions in respect of persons charged with, or convicted of offences, and to assist in the supervision and rehabilitation of such persons.  The Magistrates' Court sits in six locations across the County and the Crown Court is located predominantly in Chester and Warrington (with occasional listings taking place at Knutsford Crown Court).  Twenty-four Probation staff are deployed across all Court sites to ensure that Pre-Sentence Reports are delivered on time to assist sentencers in their decision making.  Some 4,026 reports were produced for sentences in the Magistrates' and Crown Courts during 2008/09.
 
At any one time during the last year Probation staff supervised approximately 4,000 offenders subject to community sentences or following their release from prison on licence, additionally 210,694 hours of community payback were managed for the benefit of local communities.
 
Our key aims are:
  • the protection of the public
  • the reduction in re-offending
  • the rehabilitation of offenders
  • the proper punishment of offenders
  • ensuring offenders’ awareness of the effects of crime on the victims of crime and the public

Community Engagement

During 2009/10 Cheshire Probation strengthened its community links by developing a partnership framework in the form of Local Delivery Units (LDUs) based in the four Unitary Authorities.  Within each of these LDUs Reducing Re-offending will be identified as a priority within community safety and other partnerships which will highlight accommodation, drugs, alcohol and employment learning and skills as key areas for intervention.