Dorset Probation Trust is one of the 36 Probation Trusts that make up the National Probation Service.

“The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) protects the public and assists the courts, holding securely and managing humanely the people sent to us. In delivering punishments imposed by the courts, we help offenders turn away from crime, make reparation to their victims and contribute to their communities.”

The caseload for the area is usually between 2,000 and 2,200.

Dorset Probation Trust employs approximately 300 staff and hold Investors in People (IIP) accreditation.

Dorset Probation Trust’s aims are to:

Protect the public through the effective and safe management of those offenders who represent a risk of serious harm;

Contribute to the reduction of re-offending in the South West Region and in the Dorset Probation Trust through the delivery of the performance targets agreed with the Director of Offender Manager (DOM);

Maximise the quality and effectiveness of the services provided either directly or through the commissioning of other providers to deliver such services where this represents better value for money;

Maximise the opportunities for working effectively in partnership with a range of other organisations through the development of strategic alliances with other Probation Areas; HM Prison Service, other statutory partners through the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB), Local Strategic Partnerships (LSP’s), Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) et al and with both the Voluntary Community and Private Sectors;

Maximise the opportunities for community engagement through our active involvement in the development and delivery of Local Area Agreements (LAA’s), partnership working with a range of local community organisations, the commissioning of local community providers to deliver services where appropriate, the use of community based volunteers to support our work with offenders and the delivery of services which best meet the needs of the local community.

We achieve these aims by ensuring that:

• Offenders are carefully assessed to identify the risks they present.
• Offenders are directed to interventions that will reduce their identified risks.
• Offenders are properly managed throughout their sentence.
• Sentences are properly enforced.
• Attention is given to the needs of victims of serious offences / offenders.

Dorset (in the past it was often referred to as Dorsetshire), is a county situated on the South West coast of England, bordering the neighbouring counties of Devon, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

The county town of Dorchester is situated towards the South of the County, with other notable towns including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth aswell as many smaller towns dotted around the County.

Being a predominantly rural county around 50% of Dorset population resides in the South-East of the County around the towns of Bournemouth, Christchuch, Poole and their districts.

Dorset is ranked 20th in terms of area size (61024 sq miles), and 32nd in terms of population (approximately 710,000). Population density is 686 per square mile.