Greater Manchester Probation Trust

FAQs

What is a pre-sentence report?

A probation officer will interview you and prepare a pre-sentence report. This may take place at court or at a probation office. The purpose of the report is to provide magistrates or judges with a detailed picture of the circumstances of your offence and your background, to help them make a decision on the most appropriate sentence.

We will ask you why you committed the offence, your feelings towards any victims and any mitigating factors. We will also look at whether there was any additional culpability, for example the extent of any violence or damage inflicted, or whether the victim was particularly vulnerable. We will also look at the risk you pose to others and your chances of re-offending. Once the report had been completed it will be presented to the court. A copy will be provided for you and your solicitor. Once the report has been presented to the court a sentence will be passed. This will either be a discharge, fine, community order or custody.

What is a Community Order ?

A community order will be imposed for offences that are serious but not so serious as to warrant custody. It means your punishment will be carried out in the community instead of in prison. A generic community order will be imposed and the court can choose from 12 requirements to add to the order. The requirements are

For less serious offences you may receive just one requirement as part of your order. For more serious offences, or if this is not your first offence, you may receive three or more requirements. Supervision by the probation service is usually one of the requirements.

When you are sentenced to a community order, this could be for a number of reasons:

·          To punish you

·          To reduce crime

·          To change the way you behave and help you stay away form crime

·          To protect the public

·          To make you pay back something to the community or to the victims of your crime

On a community order you will have an offender manager who you must keep in contact with.

In addition, depending on the requirements you have been given, you will be required to meet or work with other probation service staff, an officer in charge of an attendance centre, or an electronic monitoring officer.

The court and GMPT expects your offender manager to make sure you stick to the rules of your community order and requirements and complete your sentence successfully.

What are the rules?

 While on a Community Order you must:

·          Listen carefully to what your offender manager and other supervising officers say and do what they ask you to do  

·          Do you what you are told to do for each of the requirements you are given

·          Turn up for the appointments you are given on time

·          Make sure you turn up in a fit state to take part

·          Show respect to probation staff and to other people you meet during your sentence

·          Tell your supervising officer straight away if you plan to change your address or phone number

·          Tell your supervising officer straight away if you are unable to keep your appointment

·          Tell your offender manager straight away if you are having any problems with completing your sentence

·          Carry out other instructions you are given as part of your sentence

·          Stay out of trouble

What if I break the rules?

If you miss an appointment or break the rules of any of the requirements you are given, your offender manager will ask you to explain why. If there is a good reason for not being able to keep the appointment you must provide evidence

This might be a doctor’s note, a letter from your employer etc.

 If your reason is not acceptable, the offender manager must take action

The first time anyone breaks the rules of a requirement they might receive a final warning – or if their behaviour is particularly serious they might be sent back to court.

 If anyone breaks the rules for a second time within 12 months without a good reason, they must be taken back to court

 It is very important that you attend your appointments and work hard to complete your sentence.

If you fail to comply with the community order you can be returned to court where you will usually receive a more severe penalty.

What happens if I get sent back to court?

 If you are taken back to court for breaking the rules of your sentence the court must take action. Depending on your situation, the court might decide to:

·          Make you do more requirements

·          Make you do different requirements

·          Make the existing requirements harder

·          Send you to prison

If you do not want to risk going to prison,  it is very important that you follow the rules of your Community Order and the requirements that you are given to do.

What is a Programme ?

You may be sentenced to a programme requirement as part of your community order. This means you will be expected to attend a programme and work as part of a group, one or more times a week, depending on which programme it is. The programme will help you to understand the reasons behind your offending and will assist you in developing ways to change your thinking and behaviour and stay out of trouble

Your programme tutor will explain the rules to you before you start the programme. You must attend every session, turn up on time and behave appropriately and treat others with respect.

Poor behaviour will not be tolerated within the group.

If you break the rules without good reason you will receive a warning or be taken back to court.

You will find a list of all the programmes we run under “On Probation?” – Information about your community sentence”

Probation staff – who are they and what do they do?

Offender Managers

If you are sentenced to a community order or licence you will be managed in the community by an appointed offender manager who will be responsible for ensuring that you stick to the rules of your order or licence and will work with you to change your behaviour and reduce or stop your offending. They will manage you throughout the length of your order or licence and you will need to meet with them regularly.  Your offender manager will develop a sentence plan with you, and help you to make positive changes in your life. It’s up to you to make it work. It is important to keep up a good relationship with your offender manager , talk to them about what you need and do what they ask you to do.

Other probation staff

In addition, during the course of your community sentence, you may need to meet with other probation staff who might be responsible for working with you on , for example, reducing your drug or alcohol use, finding accommodation, referring you to other services in the community who can assist you in changing your lifestyle. This may include identifying employment,  training and education opportunites.

Community Payback

If you are sentenced to an unpaid work requirement, you will need to report to a Community Payback Unit where a community payback officer will interview you and direct you to work on any of a wide variety of community projects.  Community payback supervisors will supervise you while you are working.

Programme tutors

If you are sentenced to a programme requirement, you will be required to attend a programme that is appropriate for your needs and work as part of a group for a set number of sessions.  Programme tutors will lead each session of the programme and they will direct you to participate fully in the group.

Approved premises

If you are required to live in approved premises (probation hostel) you will be supervised by hostel staff.