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Resettlement: Supervision before and after release from prison There are some offences that are so serious and some offenders so intractable that imprisonment is the only option available to the courts. Even so, the National Probation Service maintains an active involvement. Probation staff seconded to prisons help the Prison Service to plan and manage sentences. They also work with offenders while in prison and supervise them on licence following release. Over 87,000 prisoners and ex-prisoners were supervised by probation staff in 2001 All prisoners sentenced to 12 months or more serve a proportion of their sentence in custody and are then released on licence to be supervised in the community. The aims of post release supervision are to protect the public, prevent further offences and secure the rehabilitation of the offender. Prisoners are allocated a supervising officer in their home area who keeps in contact with them during the time they are in custody. The supervising officer discusses with the prisoner his/her plans for release, such as where they can live, if they could be placed in an approved hostel, if they have any job plan or training needs. Prison based probation staff will also assist with assessing any treatment or other development needs, such as addressing drug or alcohol related offending. Towards the time of release, the supervising probation officer assesses a prisoner's home circumstances and considers what arrangements need to be put in place to ensure that the offender will be able to comply with the conditions in his/her licence. The home probation officer is also responsible for recommending to the prison governor whether the licence should contain any extra conditions, such as a requirement to attend a treatment programme in the community or to stay away from specified persons or places. Before release, prison based staff explain the licence conditions so that offenders know what is expected of them. Custody should be an opportunity for offenders to reflect on how they have come to break the law. A chance also for them to use the resources of prison and community to tackle those issues and consider ways of making changes to the way they live.This may mean confronting substance misuse, poor accommodation, unhealthy relationships or a lack of employment skills. If
a prisoner does not comply with the requirements of their licence, they
can be recalled to serve the remaining part of their sentence in prison.
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