Hertfordshire Probation has launched a new website to promote its work in helping to reduce re-offending and protecting the public.

The new site, www.hertfordshireprobation.gov.uk, has special sections for offenders and their families, for sentencers and for victims, together with a media centre where visitors can find the latest news about the organisation.

They can also find out more about Community Payback – unpaid work by offenders paying back to the community - and how to nominate a piece of work in their area.

The organisation, which becomes Hertfordshire Probation Trust on 1 April, has around 275 staff, most of them frontline probation officers and probation service officers.

Their work includes providing pre-sentence reports to the Courts; supervising offenders; enabling them to access to further education and employment and facilitating anger-management programmes and drug and alcohol treatments that are designed to enable offenders to stop committing a wide range of offences, including drink-driving and domestic violence.

The service also has a Victim Liaison Unit which works with victims to ensure their voice is heard.

Chief Officer Tessa Webb said: "I'm very pleased with our new site, and I hope our partners, the public and reporters will visit it to find out about the work we do with the police, local councils and a wide range of community organisations to make Hertfordshire a safer place to live."

ENDS

Contact: Communications Officer Barbara McSweeney or any member of Senior Management Team, tel 01992 50444