Oliver Heald MP
MP sees Probation at first hand
Hertfordshire North East MP Oliver Heald saw for himself some of the frontline work carried out by Hertfordshire Probation staff when he visited the service on Friday 3 July 2009.
Staff at the service met the MP at their Hertford headquarters and briefed him about the work they undertake with offenders to protect the public and reduce the likelihood of re-offending as well as about the issues facing Probation.
They also took Mr. Heald to meet offenders working on a Community Payback project at Hoddesdon Cricket Club, Hoddesdon that involved ground-clearance, painting and general maintenance.
Under Community Payback offenders may be sentenced to up to 300 hours of unpaid work handed out by the courts, often as an alternative to prison.
It both punishes offenders, teaches them new skills and ensures the community receives some recompense. Members of the public are encouraged to suggest projects for offenders to work on, and can do so by visiting www.hertfordshireprobation.gov.uk and following the link on the home page.
Chief Officer Tessa Webb said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr. Heald and talk to him about the complex work carried out by Probation.
“Hertfordshire Probation is a high-performing service, and my staff are totally committed to working with our partners to make Hertfordshire a safer place.
“Public protection is at the heart of everything we do in Probation and we talked to Mr. Heald about the work we do with the police, local councils and a wide range of community organisations to manage offenders living in the community and make Hertfordshire a safer place to live.
“I was also delighted to show Mr. Heald one of our many Community Payback projects. In many cases Community Payback is a tough alternative to prison – and it benefits the local community.”
Oliver Weald said: “It was good to see the hard work being done and to learn how offenders are paying back society. Hopefully many will become good citizens of the future“.