Each year the Home Secretary sets a list of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), defining targets for the National Probation Service, and sets clear budgets within which areas must work. Contact with offenders, time taken to prepare court reports, the enforcement of Community Service Orders and so forth.

Derbyshire Probation Area has a good record for not just meeting, but for exceeding these standards

We are awaiting confirmation, but believe we have achieved overall Band 3 standing (of four Bands).  Of the 31 targets we were assessed against, we achieved the highest level (Band 4) in 20 cases, often well exceeding the target, and five Band 3 results. 

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Compliance

Compliance with orders and licences is key to succesful sentence completion. In 2007/8 a new performance target was introduced for the proportion of arranged appointments attended by offenders during the first six months ot their supervision. Derbyshire has achieved 93% against the target of 85%

There are strict requirements for compliance anf offenders failing to meet these will be breached and sent back to court for re-sentencing. In 2007/8 we achieved 99% enforcement against our set target of 95%. This relates to action taken when an offender breaches the terms of his or her order or licence.

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Taking Pride in our Service

Derbyshire Area has received recognition from a number of organisations for its commitment to people, quality and service.

Recognised for Excellence

Derbyshire Probation Area has just been awarded a 3 Star rating by the independent British Quality Foundation (BQF) which runs the internationally recognised UK Excellence Scheme. This recognises organisations' successes in using the principles of Excellence in the running of all their operations.

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Investors in People

Accredited for the first time in 1996, Derbyshire Area continues to maintain its accreditation. The award is received for demonstrating the strong links between organisational achievement and the training and development of all staff.

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Charter Mark

In February 2000, Derbyshire Area received the Charter Mark, the Government’s award for recognising and encouraging excellence in the public sector. We were the third probation area in England and Wales to receive this award, which we retain today.

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A Disability Symbol user

Derbyshire Area has been approved as a ‘Disability Symbol’ user by the Department for Education and Employment. The symbol represents a pledge to commitments to positive action when employing people with disabilities.

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Race Equality

Derbyshire Area adopts the view that ‘Race Equality means Quality’ and in pursuance of this principle seeks to establish, monitor and evaluate policies, procedures, service provision and staffing numbers, which promote equality of opportunity for staff, offenders and the public it serves.

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European Excellence Model

Derbyshire Area uses the European Excellence Model as a quality tool for self-assessment of the organisation’s performance, measured both by results and by the quality of the processes and systems developed to achieve them.

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