The National Offender Management Service does not produce statistics on the average caseload of probation staff. However, data are collected on the number of offenders supervised by the National Probation Service (NPS) and, separately, on the number of staff in post.
The total number of offenders supervised by the NPS on 31 March 2006 was 227,654, on 31 March 2007 it was 237,796 and on 31 December 2007 it was 242,722. This information is taken from the Probation Statistics Quarterly Brief, which can be found at the following website:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/probationquarterly.htm
The number of NPS staff in post at 31 March 2006, 31 March 2007 and 31 December 2007 are set out in the following table. Data for the quarter ending 31 March 2008 are not yet available as they are still being validated.
Number 2007-081: Quarter 3 31 December2007 Probation Officers2 8,257.54 Probation Services Officers3 6,221.76 Other Staff 6,415.04 Total 20,894.34 2006-071: Quarter 4 31 March 2007 Probation Officers 8,265.35 Probation Services Officers 6,506.78 Other Staff 6,473.53 Total 21,245.66 2005-061: Quarter 4 31 March 2006 Probation Officers 8,262.50 Probation Services Officers 6,544.28 Other Staff 6,296.67 Total 21,103.45 1 Figures provided are Full Time Equivalent. Figures for Quarter 3 2007-08 have yet to be published and may be subject to minor amendment upon publication. Figures for Quarter 4 2007-08 are unavailable as they currently being validated. 2 Includes Senior Practitioners, Probation Officers, Practice Development Assessors, Trainee Probation Officers and Senior Probation Officers. 3 Includes Probation Services Officers and Treatment Managers.