§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reoffending rates following participation in an accredited programme run by the probation service in England and Wales were in each of the last three years; what were the reoffending rates for those sentenced to a probation order in the same period; and if he will make a statement. [129316]
§ Mr. Boateng[holding answer 7 July 2000]: The Joint Prison Probation Accreditation Panel first met to consider applications in December last year. To date the Panel has granted provisional accreditation to one community-based offender programme. It is likely that a further seven offending behaviour programmes will be considered for accreditation when the Panel next meets in September. There are no reconviction or reoffending rates available from the programme, as it has not been running long enough to provide the necessary data. Arrangements are in place for the evaluation of the programmes.
The reconviction rates of those offenders sentenced to a probation order in the last three years—available data are: 59 per cent. for 1994, and 60 per cent. for 1995 and 1996.
The work of the Accreditation Panel will promote the use of evidence-based practice, which the probation service is working towards.