Psychological services in HM Prison Service and the National Probation Service: working towards an effective partnership

Abstract

The numbers of psychologists employed in HM Prison Service have doubled in the past three years to over 600 staff. HM Prison Service is the largest single employer of applied psychologists. With a governmental focus firmly on ‘joined up’ services in the criminal justice field (Boateng, 1999), the launch of the National Probation Service (NPS) in April 2001 has set the scene for closer partnership working between the two organisations. There has not historically been a national structure for the employment of psychologists in the probation service. With the creation of the NPS and an increased emphasis on partnership working, a national integrated role for psychologists is ripe for development. This presents both organisations with some significant partnership challenges and opportunities (Towl, 2000).

Citation

Towl, G. (2002), "Psychological services in HM Prison Service and the National Probation Service: working towards an effective partnership", The British Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636646200200016