ABSTRACT
The 1990s promise to be a period of rapid and fundamental change for the probation service in England and Wales – a time when traditional roles and values will come under scrutiny and clarification be sought, most probably from widely different standpoints, about its primary responsibilities and tasks. There has already been a tremendous shift in focus of the service’s work with offenders and this will be reinforced with the introduction of major criminal justice legislation following the publication of the government’s White Paper Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public [CM 965] in February 1990. Furthermore, the service faces critical structural and management changes arising from the Green Paper Supervision and Punishment in the Community [CM 966], some of which could enable more effective joint working with other agencies, particularly the independent sector.
