PP24007 Probation Looking Back 100 years SWMPT

Remember the National Probation Centenary Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday 11th June 2007 celebrating 100 Years since the 1907 Probation of Offenders Act established the fundamental principles of Probation Practice. The Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust (SWMPT) even produced a fancy brochure to mark the occasion.  But how did it manage to list on Page 23 the following :-

"2014 Transforming Rehabilitation Reform Programme commences"   

When was this created and printed? Not 2007 or anywhere near that date. I believe it was possibly generated (circa 2014) as a desperate last minute reflection on how good things had been before we were engulfed in the TR crisis. The final Swan Song before the tragic end of Probation as we all new it. 

Use the link below to reflect on times past.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x_m9rfnFsFCghKaN78SvFB41PyowuEoq/view?usp=sharing

PP24006 Trusts-NOMS-CRCs- HMPPS

 

Many of Probation Problems relate to the way it has been historically organised into Trusts and this still applies today under the HMPPS. Joining in 2006 I couldn’t get my head around there being 54 Probation Trusts each with its own Chief Officer and Board of Directors. This was overseen by NOMS which had evolved from the 2001 Criminal Justice and Court Service Act. Within the NOMS umbrella were National Probation Training Consortiums and Central Government Ministry of Justice Commissioning Units and Central Ministry of Justice Performance Units all defining how the Trusts should operate. Trusts were free to do their own thing provided they met the standards defined by NOMS and their array of MoJ Central Units. This was then audited by a separate Probation Inspectorate.

It was reduced to 35 Probation Trusts in 2010. Why one centralised control structure was not adopted I don’t know. All businesses both Nationally and Internationally adopted such a model but the argument was always Probation was different. Like the current arguments for the NHS being different. To me the concept of “Government Trusts” was so outdated with the term Government Agency being more logical. The Agency would undertake central definition and control over all processes both business and social engineering inclusive of best practices and computer systems. Each Probation Office would operate and comply with these specifications. In fact a standard UK retail model applied to a social service. Layers upon layers of organisational structure removed. Simple.

But what happened to Trusts? They decided to really muddle up the organisation structure. Enter Chris Grayling with the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) and throwing in alongside the NPS the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC’s). Then to watch it collapse. To then destroy NOMS in 2017 to form the Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to only fully re-Nationalise the Probation Service in June 2021. Still lacking the strong central control ethos.

 

Alongside this the qualifications to become a Probation Officer were thrown into disarray. With the once esteemed academically linked training to Degree Level Training Programmes to become a Probation Officer destroyed. It was initially replaced by the Probation Qualification Framework (PQF) which had some credibility defining the promotional paths within Probation. To only be obliterated by TR whilst the Probation Institute evolved to try and fill the void but never did meet the true needs lacking any acceptance by either the management or grassroots factions.

In closing and linking up with my opening theme Trusts. There was a very strange entity called the Probation Chiefs Association. Founded in 2011 it was dissolved in 2014 by the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR). It was really an attempt by all the Trust Chiefs to co-ordinate how the Trusts operated in the face of NOMs imposing how they should operate from the Ministry of Justice. It was like one step up from NAPO the National Probation Officers Association which in many ways was looking to achieve, and still is, the same objectives. Having left Probation in 2016 I am very out of the loop but just reading the press and this blog it is obvious that the Organisation Structure is still not resolved. Until the Organisation Structure is fixed Probation will never succeed.

Just before the Probation Chiefs Association (PCA) was dissolved it produced a glossary brochure called “Celebration of Achievement” like you do and I have included some of it in the link below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_eERMeeiRxMA68O93vhpYu5T6RJy6-qE/view?usp=sharing

PP24005 Business System Visualisation V01 131024

 As a Guest on Jim Brown’s blog please don’t be put off by the Business System Visualisation title above  this post. It is not going to be what you maybe expecting. Importantly the Western World’s interpretation of this subject relates to Flowcharts, Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD), Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), Organisation Charts and System Architecture Diagrams. Whilst the Eastern World’s, and originally, I am focussing upon the Japanese approach, which is to keep it visually very very simple. The Japanese only do simple. Their writing was derived from pictures like the Chinese. So this leads to me highlighting a Japanese technique of building quality into everything called Poke Yoka. Now I am not going to bore you with much more narrative on this subject here but I do recommend if you are interested buying a copy of my book “Organisation Change – Japan” which can be purchased for £9.95 from Amazon using this link.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0950871842

So back to Probation. Within the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust (SWMPT) there was a huge focus on looking to streamline and simplify our Business Processes. Part of this thinking was ensuring those using our services understood clearly what we had to offer. So the Sentencing Court, and in particular the Magistrates themselves were considered one of the key business drivers that needed to clearly understand what services we offered. So the “Probation Bench Guide” was the equivalent to what a Private Sector business would probably call their Sales Catalogue.

Now taking on the Japanese way of thinking. Which was to keep it brief, simple and visually stimulating and it will get used. So the SWMPT decided to develop a very modern “flip card” Probation Bench Guide rather than use a normal printed book. Photo below.

SWMPT Probation Bench Guide (March 2013)

I can claim no credit whatsoever for this excellent piece of work. But I think we should here give credit to two exceptional individuals who created it within the SWMPT Graphics Unit. Managed by Gavin Pearce supported by Hardeep Singh an exceptional Graphics Consultant. I have followed both of their careers since they left Probation and both deservedly are doing exceptionally well. Gavin Pearce now at the NHS Charities and Hardeep Singh now at the Co-operative Bank plc . The important thing about both of them is they were always willing to help me, that irritating novice computer graphics person trying to acquire these skills to support my hobby.

Take a look in detail at this Probation Bench Guide below.  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ohS6aXXxsBRC0bT3358o00Kca0UE6Mnp/view?usp=sharing

 

PP24004 A Probation Trojan Horse V01 101024

 So have I achieved another master class in deception with Jim Brown inviting me on  to his learned blog with a Guest 103 blog posting by this impostor whereby I have once again manipulated his trust in me.? With PO’s so well read in Greek mythology and not computer technology Jim nor his PO followers will have spotted that the term “Trojan Horse” is used by the computer fraternity to describe the use of malicious software that disguises itself as being legitimate to deceive users. Notice the subtle use of the word fraternity to engage with the PO’s with their classical historical educational backgrounds. So I am slowly infiltrating the Probation Matters blog with talk of Business and Computer Systems. The objective being to be occupy Guest Blogs 103 to 199 with talk of Business and Computer Systems. To this end this is yet another to make PO’s eyes roll backwards.

Probation needs to be supported by an exceedingly complex set of Business Systems. The term Business System is used in a hierarchical way it being at the top level. Although strictly speaking there is a level above that called Executive Information Systems (EIS) but we won’t go there just yet since we haven’t sorted out the Business Systems yet. In fact the Computer Industry survives on reinventing this jargon every few years usually to convince people to buy more stuff and services to teach you what the new jargon means. Sales have slowed down so invent a new piece of jargon we can sell. Now Probation Business Systems are so behind the times that the operation of these Business Systems is dependent on Human Process Flow Memory of what to do next, Computer Systems and Paper Based Systems. Comments like “Isn’t there a new form for that?” “Why am I re entering all this data again on another form?” “ Where is that form I completed 6 months ago?” “Is there a form or do I enter it directly into a computer screen ?” “Why am I marking so many boxes on this form as “Not Applicable”? (You have guessed it. OASys).

One view held by many Business Systems Analysts, yes it is a profession of sorts,  is the broader the users understanding of the total system the better it makes then able to make a sound contribution to their part of the total system. So to this end the communication of the total Enterprise Architecture Framework to those that can stay awake long enough is one of the great pleasures of being called a nerd. Particularly if we can send them to sleep by explaining  there are derivatives of this framework like the Zachman Framework. Obviously to do this we need a new better paid job title of Enterprise Systems Architecture. Anyway to cut to the chase. Looked this expression up on AI as I am writing this like you do. Derived from the silent film industry where lots were edited out so the audience could get to the exciting chase scenes. So I will do the same and get to an exciting flowchart.

I decided that users all understood the London Tube Map since it is the perfect guide to getting from A to B. So why not emulate its graphical style to show how Business Processes get from A to B. So use he link below to take look a look at  how Probation fits within the overall Enterprise Architectures. I bet you cannot wait for the next Guest Blog especially if its mine that gets past Jim yet again. Banno.

Notice the nerdy use of a handle rather than a name derived from CB (Citizens Band) Radio in the 1970’s and now standard internet practice for those wanting a semi - anonymous persona. I say “semi” because you can very easily find my real name, unlike finding your client’s many names. But is it my real name? Many claim to know who the real Jim Brown is, but do they really know ?. Don’t we all love a bit of identity theft. By clever use of similar naming emulating famous people has become one of internets favourite pastimes. Bye for now. Keira Starmer or is it Keira Scammer.

All this to get you to study the Horizontal Workflow for the UK Criminal Justice System - Offender Pathway (circa 2014) using Enterprise Architecture principles but to a London Underground Graphical User Style Interface. 

Use the standard gesture controls using thumb and finger to zoom in and out.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YsgaaPGfPRSgvChGjxkyc4PKKP28EYKP/view?usp=sharing

PP24003 PO's and Computers V01 071024

 As Jim Brown’s Guest I thought, unlike Jim, I would try and stir up some controversy and hopefully some intellectually driven feedback via the comments. So based upon my 10 years working in Business Support and Computer Roles (2006 – 2016) within the National Probation Service and then a CRC getting PO’s to take any interest in Business Processes and Computers Systems was a mission impossible. Yes there was the odd PO that took an interest but for most of them the moment the first PowerPoint displayed a Process Flowchart then their eyes rolled and any engagement ceased. Based upon my earlier Guest Post on here which included an outstanding Offender Management Workflow Diagram this received no feedback whatsoever. So things haven’t changed since 2016 when I was made redundant by the CRC. Significantly they weren’t interested in what I had to offer either but for another reason. They decided to dispose of me to avoid having to listen to the complexity of the Business and Computer Processes they needed to support having acquired the business. They had been sold the idea by the Government that it was a simple straightforward “client services” business just needing some basic computer systems that kept the client off the premises. For starters nobody had told them about the hundred plus variations in Court Sentences that a Court could apply and expected you to service and report back in different ways. So why do the majority of the PO elk show no interest in Business Processes and Computer Systems.

So being a bit of a Techie Nerd I decided to ask Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the form of the ChatGPT App why this was the case. Its response is below which I thought being only a machine designed to do a bit of thinking it described it in a very almost social reformist genre and how I envisaged a Humanist PO describing it to me as a Determinist Techie.

The challenge that professionals in the social sciences face in taking an interest in business processes and computer systems can stem from several factors related to mindset, training, and the nature of the fields themselves. Here are some of the main reasons:

1. Different Educational Backgrounds

Social scientists typically focus on human behavior, society, and cultural dynamics, while business processes and computer systems are more technical, structured, and data-driven.
The academic training in social sciences often emphasizes qualitative analysis, critical thinking, and understanding societal structures, which may seem disconnected from the quantitative, efficiency-driven focus of business processes and computer systems.

2. Perception of Relevance

Social scientists might see business processes and computer systems as outside their primary area of interest. They may perceive these fields as more concerned with corporate or economic efficiency rather than with the broader societal issues they study, like inequality, politics, or human development.
This perception can make it difficult for social scientists to appreciate the potential role of business and technology in shaping societal outcomes.

3. Cultural Divide

There is often a cultural divide between social science disciplines, which prioritize human experience, and the more technical fields of business and IT, which prioritize logic, systems, and structure.
Social scientists might view business and computer systems as too rigid or focused on profit rather than the human element, making it harder to relate to or engage with.

4. Complexity of Business and IT Systems

Business processes and computer systems can be highly technical and require specialized knowledge in areas like software development, systems design, and financial metrics, which may be outside the typical training of social scientists.
The complexity and jargon-heavy nature of these fields can be daunting or appear irrelevant unless there is a strong reason to engage with them.

5. Priorities and Research Focus

Social science professionals are often concerned with addressing societal issues like social justice, ethics, and human well-being, which can seem disconnected from the business world’s emphasis on efficiency, profitability, and system optimization.
Their focus on social theory, human interaction, and societal improvement can make business processes and computer systems seem like secondary concerns or less impactful on the human condition.

6. Interdisciplinary Gaps

There has historically been a lack of interdisciplinary education and collaboration between the social sciences and fields like business and information technology. Without formal integration, these professionals may not have the tools or language to bridge these gaps easily.
However, fields like digital sociology or organizational behavior are emerging to address this disconnect, helping to show how technology and business processes shape human experience.

7. Concerns About Ethics and Impact

Social scientists might also be wary of the ethics and societal impact of business processes and computer systems. They may be concerned about the effects of automation, surveillance, or corporate behavior on social inequality, privacy, or the environment.
This ethical concern can create skepticism or reluctance to engage deeply with these systems, unless they see a clear societal benefit.

While these are common reasons for the disconnect, there is increasing recognition of the value of integrating social science perspectives into business and technology. Understanding the human factors in systems design, organisational behaviour, and user experience can lead to more ethical and user-friendly solutions. Cross-disciplinary approaches are gaining momentum to bridge these gaps.

PP24002 The Privatisation of Probation Failure

 The Probation Service has the lowest media profile of any of the public facing Government Services. The only time it makes the headlines is when something has gone seriously wrong, normally resulting in a death, with the blame directed at Probation. So it was a real surprise to see Ian Dunt devoting his whole Introduction in his bestselling book, “How Westminster Works”, to the subject of Probation’s failed attempt at privatisation.

Unusually for a Journalist Writer working outside an organisation he manages to communicate exactly the many issues surrounding the failure of this project. He must have interviewed the exact right people from the front line within Probation to write such a truthful and excellent insight into the real issues. It was so good I have scanned the Introduction and subject to Copyright being acknowledged I have linked to it below for you to read. This is provided upon a “Book Sample” basis to encourage you to buy the book.

It should be mandatory reading for anyone within Probation, past or present, to fully appreciate how a Government can so quickly destroy a 100 year old service that worked. Yes we were all aware it needed improvements particularly in the high level management organisation structure, for example the removal of multiple Trusts, and the National Standardisation of Business and Computer Systems, but not wholesale destruction from which it is unlikely to ever fully recover. Since this is now unlikely to ever happen in the right way due to it existing within the HMPPS.

Probation is fundamentally a Court Service servicing the needs of HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS).   Historically it evolved that way for very good reasons that are just as applicable today as they were in the  Probation of Offenders Act 1907. Yes. Prisons and Probation needed to work more closely together as defined by the Carter Report 2003 achieving more comprehensive “end to end” pathways. But implanting Probation into the Prison Service creating the HMPPS went organisationally in the wrong direction. If it had to be implanted anywhere it would have been more logical to implant it into HMCTS which is the source of most of its work. 

The real danger is as the old original Probation Officers are now retiring and dying so the original culture of true Probation is being lost. This happened in the HM Prisons when the push towards Prison Privatisation was running full pace. All the old school Prison Officers were made redundant. The new “private” workforce didn’t pick up on the culture that always existed between the Prison Officer and Prisoner. So Prison unrest and even riots increased. The only way things could be recovered was by bringing back into play teams of “old school” Prison Officers. This is happening to the Probation Profession. Processes, systems, procedures, documentation and now AI will never work effectively in the social services unless you establish the right culture.

 So what do we mean by culture. It encompasses the shared beliefs, values, norms, behaviours, customs and knowledge that characterise a group of people. Those within an organisation like Probation transfer this culture to those that join the organisation and work hard to uphold all these innate principles. Call it “Best Practice” or “What Works” but they only define the most effective methods and strategies for achieving the desired outcomes. It is how people uphold these principles and the culture that under pins them that really matters. Take the time to read this article by Ian Dunt since he really got it spot on and then buy his book. Banno

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hQ7DRgL1SLzKd23ERJYuru2Oy3dKU5KJ/view?usp=sharing

PP24001 - Probation Past but not Forgotten.

 Just to be upfront with my readers this blog is focussed upon the use and development of Business Processes and Computer Systems within the National Probation Service (NPS) and then a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) being based upon my working experiences from 2006 to 2016. I am not a qualified Probation Officer. But I have a long career prior to joining probation in the private sector in Business and Computer systems. First employed in 2006 within the NPS West Midland Trust, Learning and Development Unit, Selly Oak, Birmingham as a Business  Support Training Officer. Then I jointly supported the Learning and Development Unit and the Central Birmingham based Business Transformation Unit (BTU) initially supporting the System Testing and Implementation of Delius. Then in 2013 I was appointed as a Transformation Administration Manager within the Birmingham based Business Transformation Unit (BTU). I was then transferred to a CRC in 2014 before being made redundant in 2016. I cannot blog on the current (2024) HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) since I have been outside the Probation Service since 2016. So essentially it is more of a historical record but the effort to write it is based upon me wanting to communicate on “a lessons learnt” basis that may influence and benefit those currently working within the HMPPS. It is also an historical record of the events I experienced at the NPS and then CRC.

So why start blogging on Probation after 8 years outside of the service?

When I was at Probation, like many others, I followed Jim Brown daily since he was telling the “truth” particularly through the blitzkrieg period of change. But over the last 8 years I have only on rare occasions popped onto his blog to see how things are going at Probation now the HMPPS. So having done one of my normal LinkedIn posts that covered a bit about Probation I was surprised to get a personal message to call him. Which I did and we had a brief chat on Monday 230924. He asked me if I had any more relevant contributions. I explained that obviously all my experiences are now from the 2006 – 2016 period so lacking relevance to HMPPS in 2024. Then it occurred to both of us during our conversation that those experiences might help those trying to sort out HMPPS today. I explained that particularly my NPS experience, not my CRC experience, was a very positive part of my career particularly in respect of the people with whom I worked. Whilst my experience of the Business Systems and Computer Systems was just the opposite. But I had started in 2006 with the best intentions of improving both of these aspects and to be perfectly frank after 10 years of hard motivated work I achieved nothing. I don’t know another part of my career where it was so difficult to influence and effect change to Business Processes and Computer Systems. So if any contribution on here could help those now within the HMPPS family achieve these changes now I wouldn’t feel my 10 years was such a waste of effort. My commitment can only be a positive and constructive one since I don’t do negative or political.

So I walked out of the Probation Offices in Central Birmingham for the last time on the 3^rd July 2016 having been disposed of by Reducing Reoffending Partnership (RRP) a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) that was now trying to run the Probation Private Services for Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. I was deemed redundant and my services were no longer required. Not the best of timing for them or me. In their case with me having a long career prior to Probation in Business Systems design and implementation in the Private Sector they needed me and others like me more than ever with the chaos now being unleashed. Instead they were dependant on the ”all knowing” but “knowing nothing” highly paid consultant swarms now descended on Probation. Many just out of university but deemed chargeable to the Ministry of Justice no doubt with a cashback into the RRP coffers. But it also has to be acknowledged that there were some very smart experienced consultants with some clearly wanting to support our side of how we wanted change implemented. That is carefully and progressively.

These consultants actually listened and didn’t just feedback but actively joined us in trying to get some constructive steer on the changes themselves and the rate of change being planned.  They also took some risks within their own Consultant Management Companies, who had won the lucrative change management contracts from the MoJ, in supporting our side of the story. But unfortunately they weren’t listened to either so blitzkrieg commenced at pace.

The tide of change from Government and the MoJ was too strong and too fast for all of use to contain or control it. They had enforced a blitzkrieg approach to changing Probation. Probation had established its fundamental principles over 100 years and these were already being improved upon as a result of the Carter Report, by a Probation Officer, and its implementation through the 2006 to 2010 period. Things were improving in a Japanese style of incremental improvements like the national use of a new Offender Management System called Delius and access to the Police ViSOR System. Although OASys was in most need of re-engineering it was not on the to do list. Probation had never faced a blitzkrieg Government attack before and it was very ill prepared to counter it. Other Government Departments, particularly our own HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) never came in with any support since whilst we were under attack they could standby avoiding being attacked themselves. Needless to say HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) was also being attacked under austerity principles with many local court closures impacting the application of good and tried local justice principles. The blitzkrieg approach funded by the Government threw money at the private sector to establish the principles of probation moving to the private sector in the form of the CRC’s. So I was transferred to a CRC.

We CRC staff, being ex- NPS staff, were now considered only eligible to be treated with a sort of private sector employment status. Essentially exiled out into the wilderness. With no doubt their planned lowering of pay rates to reflect our drop in both economic and social status. Yes I was now employed by a new lowly entity in the Government MoJ come Probation hierarchy, which was soon to be dropped a peg down on bloc below the unit with the lock and keys the Prisons which were to upstage Probation in the political hierarchy creating the illogical HMPPS.

NPS Induction Training in West Midland taught the hierarchy where the Courts were the very top supported by the Probation Service with the Prisons as a service locking them up as punishment and to protect the public. Whilst the Carter Report rightly recommended the Prison’s rightly focussed on rehabilitation whilst in a custody setting. Training Prison Officers on Rehabilitation Practices we were always amazed at how enthusiastic they were about acquiring these new skills and looking forward to applying them within their prison settings. Just the locking up although critical was very boring and contributing to prisoners futures much more rewarding. Probation was a highly respected Court Service which has been that way almost from the beginnings of Probation as detailed in the Probation of Offenders Act 1907. Totally integrated into the Court System allowing them to administer justice and protect the public. Probation was a service geographically distributed in the community operating in support of the Courts as a Court Service.

So that was it. Probation was over for me. I had tried very hard with many other like minded and motivated people to get the Probation Business Processes into a better state. We even organised a group of Trusts covering London, Devon and Cornwall, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, South Yorkshire and the West Midland to establish a common National Business Standards System on the TIBCO Nimbus business mapping product we all had installed and were using daily. Although we tried we got little support from the MoJ in terms of this initiative which was in fact seeded from the bottom of the organisation upwards. Never the right way to get something established. The West Midlands had already lead on Business Change with its Modelling District Projects but it was only when we combined with the Staffordshire Trust that we gained access to their more advanced use of TIBCO Nimbus which we quickly adopted. Obviously other Trusts had quite independently taken to using TIBCO Nimbus no doubt being targeted by the TIBCO sales force. Whilst we had some MoJ meetings in London where they were impressed by our TIBCO Nimbus efforts it was never formally adopted and was not included in any MoJ Directives to the Trusts.

I suspect many in Probation may not even be aware of this TIBCO Nimbus initiative taking place in some Trusts. Even within the TIBCO Nimbus active Trusts their own staff were not always aware of its purpose and presence. Not being a subject included in any National Probation Communications for many using it was not seen as a priority. There was certainly no national sign off of the TIBCO Nimbus Business Processes thereby not making them the de facto way of working for everybody. It was a mess. Had it been better established it may have helped us better deflect some of the blitzkrieg attack on our undocumented working practices. We really had nothing concrete or national to defend ourselves with in respect of standardised business processes. With no defences it was inevitable we would lose the battle.

But the one last stand I took supported by my Business Process Design colleague along with surprisingly an RRP Consultant, was to try and convince the Reducing Reoffending Partnership Board to use our Business Processes already mapped in TIBCO Nimbus as a basis for building the new business models brought about by the creation of the CRC’s  It made so much sense. This proposal to the RRP CRC Board was dated the 9^th July 2015 and I still have a copy I can share on here in the future. I also initiated a brilliant commercial negotiation with TIBCO to virtually have free use of Nimbus for a period to get it established. What was there not to like. But the proposal got rejected by the RRP CRC Board.

The TIBCO Nimbus Servers were torn out of their server racking and sent for scrap. Somewhere I have photos of them lying on the scrap pile representing many years of process design and data entry work. Then beyond belief they started a Business Process Mapping Project to go around collecting all the information again from relevant Probation staff groups and then re mapping it all in Microsoft Visio a product considered very unfriendly for everyday business users being more aligned with the needs of IT Staff.

So to the end of my story at Probation with the CRC RRP making me redundant on 3^rd July 2016. Exactly 1 year after our TIBCO Nimbus proposal to the RRP CRC Board had been rejected. My work Nimbus colleague was kept on to continue but without having TIBCO Nimbus and having to return to using Microsoft Visio the objective of installing business systems onto all employee desk tops where they would be used  daily by the service was now impossible. My Nimbus work colleague soon left since Business Process Planning was not a priority in the midst of all the firefighting now required to maintain some sort of Probation Service.

Now just to complete the conversation I had with Jim Brown. He said write me a “taster” and I will see if I want to link to it. This is that taster. But included in it is a early High Level Flowchart for use in the West Midlands that I produced way back to illustrate the importance of having a holistic view of all the Business Systems.

The truth is I have many other resources that are now dated like all the original TIBCO Nimbus Process Maps extracted in a PowerPoint format. Along with various other methodologies and techniques we developed and used like iPresentation and iProcess along with Work Instructions. In fact lots of my historic bits and pieces accumulated over 10 years at Probation that may possibly interest probation staff historically or maybe in some cases prove worth reusing today in the HMPPS.

But to be effective though what Probation needs is what my last American Company had which was what they called its own university (Pollak University). In fact it wasn’t a University in our sense of the use of the word meaning a verified academic learning institution. But it was where all product knowledge, manufacturing knowledge, research knowledge, business processes knowledge and computer systems knowledge was documented, co-ordinated, researched and communicated. It had dedicated librarianship, research and training capabilities. Research papers could be submitted and reviewed and so forth. Essentially a “one stop” place for all knowledge and processes within the business entity. So they called it a University. Now if this blog got to the MoJ and it triggered them to setup up a “Probation University” that would justify all the 10 years I spent and enjoyed at the National Probation Service. The first thing that needs researching, documenting and standardising and communicating is all the Business Processes. This is about adopting an ideology that Probation can have a common set of Business Processes applied right across all geographical and business areas. To make it happen it needs a champion in this ideology and that champion being in a position at the top with the powers to implement it. There is an argument that computer systems in the future will have built into them workflow principles and this has been accelerated by the AI developments. But until these systems are developed and made available it is vital that all Business Processes are standardised and documented in a user friendly way.

Some may consider the Probation Institute established in 2014 could act like the Probation University I have proposed. My view is it should definitely form part of the Probation University. But a concern might be that once it became MoJ financed would it as a "membership" financed organisation have its independence compromised. I don't see it this way. The membership of the Probation Institute are working at the front line of the Service and their constructive contribution is vital and should be within the my proposed Probation University framework. But the scope of the Probation University is much larger than that of the Probation Institute. The Probation University defines and drives the operational activities of Probation both staff and systems. I appreciate its a much used cliche to suggest we should all operate like Amazon and some strong views exist suggesting you cannot apply their methods of effectively shipping goods  to essentially the practice of a social science. All I would just say is let an Amazon IT system designer with their keystroke counting audit techniques and workflow engineering  skills redesign OASys. The time we waste on OASys could then be spent with our clients (Do we call them clients or offenders these days ?) doing our  social science best practices more effectively.     

Within the Probation University the study of Social and Behavioral Sciences should far exceed the focus on Business and Computer Systems. They are our prime activity. It is what we do working with our clients. So Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology along with an endless list of other subjects that need to be included within the Probation University framework. If this blog post achieved the setting up of a Probation University whilst I am now outside the organisation it would be amazing since I could never achieve it whilst working within the organisation.

Now to share with you a High Level Offender Management Vertical Workflow Map which is now 12 years old covering Offender Management Process Flows (circa 2012) within the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust. I am sure this could be edited in less than a few hours to accurately represent  current HMPPS Probation Business Processes since I suspect much of the supporting documentation (paperwork) has remained unchanged. Although the computer record updating may have changed. I just don't know. Maybe it is a starting point to commencing Business Workflow and Process Mapping. Certainly Indeterminate Prison Sentencing has changed with the removal of IPP's by coincidence in 2012 (As usual just after the map was drawn !!!!) although their removal was from memory not retrospective. If it generates any interest I have another High Level  Horizontal Workflow Map I can share showing the relationships between all those parties linked to Probation once again somewhat dated but easily updated. Enjoy. Banno

Link to High Level Map below. 

Once launched use the normal  "pinch-to-zoom" gesture to zoom in and zoom out of the PDF to read the small print.  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pw4dIYts48SVHQxhE1iKxl5r6eil4RJE/view?usp=sharing