ABSTRACT
The National Probation Service for England and Wales was created by statute in April 2001. The legislation brought together the previously independent 54 Probation Areas to a form a National Probation Service with 42 Probation Areas. For the first time, in probation history, there was the opportunity for coordinated national strategies at both policy and operational level. At the same time, the new service was set the challenging target of achieving a 5 per cent reduction in reoffending for those under its supervision by the year 2005. Prior to April 2001, there had been a number of strategic initiatives in relation to What Works, or ‘Effective Practice’, led by the late Sir Graham Smith in his time as Chief Inspector of Probation.
