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| Probation service private bidders named | Probation service private bidders named |
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| Ministers have named the private firms they expect to take on the probation service's role monitoring thousands of offenders in England and Wales. | Ministers have named the private firms they expect to take on the probation service's role monitoring thousands of offenders in England and Wales. |
| The government's plan will see 21 trusts of companies and charities managing criminals from next year. | The government's plan will see 21 trusts of companies and charities managing criminals from next year. |
| The probation union Napo says it's outraged by the outsourcing, predicting chaos and risks to public safety. | The probation union Napo says it's outraged by the outsourcing, predicting chaos and risks to public safety. |
| But Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said legal threats by the union would not derail the process. | But Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said legal threats by the union would not derail the process. |
| Under the Ministry of Justice's plans, new probation trusts will supervise 200,000 low and medium risk offenders, including 45,000 short-sentence prisoners who currently do not receive any probation monitoring. The contracts are worth around £450m a year over seven years. | |
| At the moment, almost six out of 10 of them reoffend within a year and ministers believe support offered by the new organisations, most of which are partnerships between private companies and charities, will turn more offenders away from a life of crime. | At the moment, almost six out of 10 of them reoffend within a year and ministers believe support offered by the new organisations, most of which are partnerships between private companies and charities, will turn more offenders away from a life of crime. |
| Six of the 21 partnerships announced by the ministry involve crime reduction charity Nacro and Sodexo, a French conglomerate that says it delivers "quality of life services" through almost 500,000 employees in 80 countries. | Six of the 21 partnerships announced by the ministry involve crime reduction charity Nacro and Sodexo, a French conglomerate that says it delivers "quality of life services" through almost 500,000 employees in 80 countries. |
| Interserve, a support services business, is the lead company in five of the largest partnerships. Nationwide, 16 charities are part of the partnerships, alongside four organisations formed by current probation staff. | Interserve, a support services business, is the lead company in five of the largest partnerships. Nationwide, 16 charities are part of the partnerships, alongside four organisations formed by current probation staff. |
| In each of the 21 areas, ministers say that the partnerships - known as Community Rehabilitation Companies (or CRCs) - will work with low and medium risk offenders for a year after they leave jail to try to stabilise their lives and help to prevent them from reoffending. | In each of the 21 areas, ministers say that the partnerships - known as Community Rehabilitation Companies (or CRCs) - will work with low and medium risk offenders for a year after they leave jail to try to stabilise their lives and help to prevent them from reoffending. |
| The probation service, split earlier this year in preparation for the new system, will continue to supervise high risk ex-offenders. | The probation service, split earlier this year in preparation for the new system, will continue to supervise high risk ex-offenders. |
| Community Rehabilitation Companies: 21 Partnerships in detail | |
| Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the reforms aim to change lives. | Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the reforms aim to change lives. |
| "We cannot go on with a situation where thousands of prisoners are released onto the streets every year with no guidance or support, and are simply left to reoffend," he said. | "We cannot go on with a situation where thousands of prisoners are released onto the streets every year with no guidance or support, and are simply left to reoffend," he said. |
| "These reforms will transform the way in which we tackle reoffending. This announcement brings together the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors to set up our battle against reoffending, and to bring innovative new ways of working with offenders." | "These reforms will transform the way in which we tackle reoffending. This announcement brings together the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors to set up our battle against reoffending, and to bring innovative new ways of working with offenders." |
| But probation service union Napo, which has gone on strike twice this year, said that a sell-off isn't safe. | But probation service union Napo, which has gone on strike twice this year, said that a sell-off isn't safe. |
| Ian Lawrence, Napo's general secretary said: "It is purely ideological that Grayling is pressing ahead with his untried and untested so-called reforms to probation. | Ian Lawrence, Napo's general secretary said: "It is purely ideological that Grayling is pressing ahead with his untried and untested so-called reforms to probation. |
| "We have mounting evidence that neither the CRCs or the National Probation Service is stable at the moment and this is having a direct impact on the supervision of offenders and public safety. | "We have mounting evidence that neither the CRCs or the National Probation Service is stable at the moment and this is having a direct impact on the supervision of offenders and public safety. |
| "We would urge MPs to ask questions of him and to hold him to account for his decision to press ahead without providing evidence that it is safe to do so." | "We would urge MPs to ask questions of him and to hold him to account for his decision to press ahead without providing evidence that it is safe to do so." |
| Responding to warnings by Napo that it will fight the plans through the courts, Mr Grayling told BBC News: "I don't think they have a basis [for a challenge]." | Responding to warnings by Napo that it will fight the plans through the courts, Mr Grayling told BBC News: "I don't think they have a basis [for a challenge]." |