数千名囚犯的提前释放，对于一位新任首相而言，注定会引发尴尬局面。从政治角度来看，安迪·伯纳姆（Andy Burnham）决定排除那些因过失杀人及其他部分罪行而被定罪的囚犯，这一决策是合乎逻辑的。然而，本月约有2000名罪犯获释，风险在于，他通过减少释放人数，反而加剧了监狱内部的过度拥挤问题。在监狱和缓刑服务部门承受巨大压力，且预计将举行罢工投票的情况下，政府亟需采取措施加强这两个体系。
The early release of thousands of prisoners was bound to be awkward for a new prime minister. Politically speaking, Andy Burnham’s decision to exclude those convicted of manslaughter and some other offences made sense. But with about 2,000 offenders being freed this month, the risk is that by cutting the numbers, he has added to overcrowding problems inside. With the prison and probation services under huge pressure, and a ballot on industrial action expected, there is an urgent need for moves from the government to strengthen both.
尽管监狱被严密遮蔽，难以窥见内部情况，而且尽管像吉米·麦戈文（Jimmy McGovern）这样的活动家和作家努力引起公众关注，监狱条件仍被允许恶化到了令人震惊的程度。监狱监管机构最新的年度报告描绘了一幅惨淡的画面：毒品滥用猖獗、有组织犯罪横行，而监狱长们却将时间浪费在填写表格上。报告警告称，监狱服务部门的管理者似乎更倾向于危机应对，而非推动改善。
Shielded from view as prisons are, and despite the efforts of campaigners and writers such as Jimmy McGovern to draw attention to them, conditions have been allowed to deteriorate to a shocking extent. The latest annual report from the prisons watchdog drew a dismal picture of rampant drug use, organised crime and governors wasting time on form-filling. It warned that the Prison Service’s managers appear to favour crisis management over improvement.
相比之下，英国政府研究所（IfG）最新报告中对英格兰和威尔士缓刑服务的批评显得较为克制。缓刑服务的问题虽不那么引人注目，其高级领导层也未被单独指责。然而，对量刑改革影响的分析，加上持续的人员短缺和电子监控失效问题，仍然令人深感担忧。这是一项至关重要的公共服务，早在其案件量大幅增加之前，就已经面临严重困难。
Criticisms of the probation service of England and Wales contained in the latest report by the Institute for Government’s (IfG) appear measured, by comparison. Probation’s problems are less attention-grabbing, and senior leaders are not singled out for blame. But analysis of the impact of sentencing reforms, combined with ongoing staff shortages and tagging failures, are cause for very serious concern all the same. This is a vital public service that was already facing serious difficulties before its caseload was massively enlarged.
问题可以追溯到该服务部门部分私有化的失败。IfG强调，“近乎持续的组织变革”带来了沉重代价。其中一个后果是员工技能退化，他们越来越依赖风险管理流程，而非依靠自身判断力。因违反监管条件而被重新收监的人数，而非因新犯罪而被收监的人数，正在削弱矫正效果，并加剧监狱过度拥挤的问题。然而，超负荷运转的工作人员似乎无法打破这一循环。他们根本没有足够的时间来建立人际关系。
Problems date back to the failed part-privatisation of the service. The IfG highlights the toll of “near-constant organisational change”. One result has been de-skilling, with staff increasingly reliant on risk-management protocols rather than judgment. The number of recalls to prison due to breached conditions, rather than new offences, undermines rehabilitation and worsens overcrowding. But an overstretched workforce seems unable to break this cycle. There is simply not enough time to build relationships.
未能按时为45%的受刑人安装电子标签显然不可接受；部长们必须采取果断措施，并解释当前正在发生的情况。IfG还建议进一步进行量刑改革，以让体系更加清晰。它正确地指出，法院判处的监禁刑期与实际服刑时间之间的差距日益扩大，可能会削弱公众信任并激怒受害者。同样，缓刑许可的期限也应在监督结束时终止。目前，官方似乎有意夸大接受社区服务令的人数，这使缓刑服务部门陷入了虚假的处境。
The failure to fit 45% of tags on time is obviously unacceptable; ministers need to get a grip and explain what is happening. The IfG also recommends further sentencing reforms aimed at making the system clearer. Rightly, it points out that the growing gap between jail sentences imposed in court and time actually served risks undermining trust and angering victims. Similarly, licence periods should end at the point where supervision ceases. Currently, there is a pretence that more people are serving community sentences than is actually the case. This places the probation service in a false position.
薪酬争议是当前的直接挑战。作为协议的一部分，部长们应承诺重建服务能力并填补职位空缺。从更长远的角度来看，缓刑服务需要与能够帮助罪犯重新融入社会的本地服务建立更紧密的联系。与监狱服务部门的合并未能实现所承诺的成效。
The pay dispute is the immediate challenge. As part of a settlement, ministers should pledge to rebuild capacity and fill vacancies. Looking further ahead, probation needs closer links to the local services that can help offenders to get back on their feet. The merger with the Prison Service has failed to deliver promised gains.
保障公众安全必须始终成为优先事项。但刑事司法慈善组织Nacro的负责人恩维尔·所罗门（Enver Solomon）主张采用更具“以人为本”风格的缓刑工作，这一观点是正确的。任何了解监狱情况的人都不会认为监狱正在履行其矫正职责。监狱内部需要重新聚焦于有意义的活动。然而，随着更多囚犯被转介至缓刑体系，该服务部门也需要足够的资源来履行其职责。
Managing risks to the public must remain a priority. But Enver Solomon, who leads Nacro, the criminal justice charity, is right to argue for a more “person-centred” style of probation work. No one who knows anything about prisons thinks that they are fulfilling their rehabilitation remit. A renewed focus on purposeful activity inside jails is needed. But as increased numbers of prisoners are diverted towards probation, the service needs resources to deliver what is asked of it.
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