Handling complaints: PI 51/2014
Guidance for probation staff on how to effectively handle complaints about probation services made by members of the public.
Applies to England and Wales
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This probation instruction (PI) provides the Probation Service with a consistent and effective means of considering and responding to complaints about their services from members of the public.
It includes guidance on:
- who can make a complaint
- which complaints should be investigated
- the stages of making a complaint
- appeals
- the role of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
- repeated or vexatious complaints
- persistent complaints and unreasonable complaint conduct
It also sets out requirements and information on providing a fair and robust complaints procedure, aligned with procedural justice and the requirement to publicise complaints procedures.
You can make your complaint by emailing the relevant region:
- East Midlands, EMPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- East of England, EoEPScomplaints@justice.gov.uk
- Greater Manchester, GMPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- Kent, Surrey and Sussex, KSSPScomplaints@justice.gov.uk
- London, LondonPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- North East, NEPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- North West, NWPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- South Central, SCPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- South West, SWPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- Wales, WalesPSComplaints@justice.gov.uk
- West Midlands, WMPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
- Yorkshire & the Humber, YatHPS.Complaints@justice.gov.uk
Complaints can be made by any person including, but not limited to:
- Supervised individuals
- victims of crime (or their family)
- members of the public.
To be considered, your complaint has to be about an action or decision, or failure to act or decide, on the part of the employees of the Probation Service.
We can’t look into something that is already being investigated by the police or subject to a decision of the courts, statutory tribunal, Parole Board, Crown Prosecution Service or the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Your complaint won’t normally be considered if it is about something that happened more than 6 months ago, or that you could have known about 6 months ago.
Last updated 24 August 2022 + show all updates
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Updated complaints procedure for probation services.
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Added emails to regional complaints teams
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PI updated.
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First published.