One hundred years ago in 1907 the Probation of Offenders Act paved the way for the modern Probation Service. The Act introduced probation orders and probation officers, defining their duties, one of which was to ‘advise, assist and befriend’ offenders. The Act also gave powers to convict and sentence for breach of probation. By 1908 763 out of 1,043 courts had a probation officer.

In the 50 years following the Second World War the service had to adapt to the many challenges of a rapidly changing society. From working with young people to work with offenders inside prison or upon release; the introduction of community service in the 1970s and  in the 1980s working to introduce drug treatment as a way of reducing offending.

The 1991 Criminal Justice Act introduced national standards and the early release of prisoners on licence. And in 2001 the National Probation Service was established reducing the 54 probation services to 42 probation areas, each managed by a probation board. And in 2004 the National Offender management Service was launched as a way of providing ‘end to end management’ of offenders from first contact with the criminal justice system until completion of sentence.
 
However the proposed offender management bill will provide the Probation Service with its greatest challenge with the government proposing to open up the provision of probation to the private and voluntary sectors.

On Monday 11 June 2007 a service was held at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the centenary of the Probation Service, the address was given by the Right Reverend Dr Peter Selby, Bishop of Worcester and Bishop to HM prisons in which he praised the work of the service. You can download the address below.