The National Probation Service is made up of 42 local probation areas throughout England and Wales. The service has a number of aims:

• Protecting the public
• Reducing re-offending
• Providing proper punishment of offenders
• Ensuring an awareness of the effects of crimes on victims and the public
• Rehabilitating offenders

Since 2004, the National Probation Service, along with Her Majesty's Prison Service, has been part of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The main aim of NOMS is to ensure a seamless management of offenders throughout their sentence regardless of whether they are in custody, on licence or serving a community sentence. Where possible, each offender has consistent contact with one offender manager throughout their sentence.

The service is also managed on a regional basis by a Regional Offender Manager (ROM) who will increasingly have responsibility for commissioning services from the probation areas within their region. The ROM will also have responsibility for budgets and for performance.

How we work

Each probation area is managed locally by an appointed probation board. The board oversees the overall operation of the service, its budget and employs its 250 staff. The Hertfordshire  service is managed on a day to day basis by a management team of a Chief Officer - who is also a board member - and four directors. The management team carry out the decisions of the board.

From 2006, the Hertfordshire area will divide into two distinct staff teams: Offender Management and Interventions. Staff working within Offender Management will have responsibility for the development of an offender's sentence plan and their overall supervision. Interventions staff will organise and/or deliver the requirements of the sentence such as Unpaid Work, Programmes and Treatment.

Who we manage

Our staff manage offenders who have been sentenced to a community order or who have been released on licence from prison.

We also monitor offenders that have committed serious offences that have been released at the legal end of their sentence. Where there are concerns that they may commit a further serious offence they will be monitored by a multi agency public protection panel that includes the probation service, prison and police.

Increasingly we have been working with victims of serious crimes. We ensure that they know what it means in practice when an offender is sentenced. We also pass on any concerns that the victim has when the offender is due for release.

We work closely with crown courts and local magistrates. Once an offender has been convicted we prepare a pre sentence report. This report proposes what might be the best sentence to punish the offender and/or rehabilitate them and prevent them from committing more crimes.