RACE & ETHNIC MONITORING – Probation

OFFENDER ETHNICITY DATA

PURPOSE
Circular
To ensure that, the race and ethnicity of all offenders are classified in REFERENCE NO:
accordance with the 16+1 2001 census categories.
09/2004

ACTION ISSUE DATE:

Board Chairs/Chief Officers are asked to ensure that all commencement data
30 January 2004
for the period 1st January 2004 onwards sent to RDS on the Quarterly
Probation Listings contain the current 2001 ethnic classification.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE:
Immediate
SUMMARY
RDS publish information on the number of offenders commencing
community penalty information by ethnic group. As a consequence of the EXPIRY DATE:
correct information not being available to RDS, no data on the ethnicity of January 2009
offenders for the period after September 2001 is available for publication.
This situation requires immediate attention and correction. TO:
Chairs of Probation Boards
RELEVANT PREVIOUS PROBATION CIRCULARS
Chief Officers of Probation
PC 12/2002
Secretaries of Probation Boards
PC 55/2002
Research & Information Officers
CONTACT FOR ENQUIRIES
Sameah Khawaja, Diversity Manager 020 7217 8609 CC:
Sameah.Khawaja@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Board Treasurers
Regional Managers

AUTHORISED BY:
Diane Baderin, Head of Diversity

ATTACHED:
N/A

National Probation Directorate

Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London, SW1P 2AW General Enquiries: 020 7217 0659 Fax: 020 7217 0660

Enforcement, rehabilitation and public protection

Background
1. PC 12/2002 asked Board Chairs/Chief Officers to ensure that, among other action points, the race and ethnicity of all
offenders are classified in accordance with the 16+1 2001 census categories by 31st March 2003.

Consideration
2. It has been drawn to our attention recently that the criteria detailed in PC 12/2002 did not strictly meet the needs of
our colleagues in the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS). RDS publish information on the
number of offenders commencing community penalty information by ethnic group. Whilst some of the offenders
commencing supervision in a given period may well be new to a probation area (i.e. new offenders) others will
already exist on the areas’ case management system and consequently, may still contain the pre 2001 ethnicity code.
As a consequence of the correct information not being available to RDS, no data on the ethnicity of offenders for the
period after September 2001 is available for publication.

Action
3. Board Chairs/Chief Officers are therefore asked to ensure that all commencement data for the period 1st January
2004 onwards be sent on to RDS on the Quarterly Probation Listings containing the current 2001 ethnic classification
codes. This means that areas’ case management systems will need to be updated with the appropriate information.
The Race and Ethnic Monitoring returns (REM forms) made to RDS will be slimmed down. REMs 8 and 9 should
now be sent to NPD Performance & Planning as they will be used to monitor the performance linked measure on
PSR proposals on minority ethnic offenders. For the purposes of the performance link, only the data covering the
period October 2003 to March 2004 from REM 8 will be considered. Detailed guidance on these and the remaining
REM forms will be issued shortly.

4. The reclassifying of the remaining offenders on an area’s caseload by the 2001 Census categories will be revisited by
colleagues in NPD and RDS in the near future. Race and ethnic monitoring information is used in drafting replies to
parliamentary questions, submissions for ministers and section 95 statistics on Race & the CJS. It is therefore critical
that areas reclassify all offenders on their caseload.

PC09/2004 - Race & Ethnic Monitoring - Offender Ethnicity Data 2