Probation Instruction 03 2011 -IMPLEMENTATION of the BAIL ACCOMMODATION and SUPPORT SERVICE

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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BAIL ACCOMMODATION AND SUPPORT SERVICE SPECIFICATION
This instruction applies to : / Reference :
Probation Trusts
Prisons / PI 03/2011
PSI 17/2011
Issue date / Effective Date / Expiry Date
Updatedxx August 2013 / 1 April 2011 / 1 April 2015
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Board
For action by / All staff involved in bail information, processing Home Detention Curfew applications or who make referrals to the Bail Accommodation and Support Service (BASS).
Offender Managers.
Governors, Directors of Contracted Prisons, Probation Trust Contract Managers, Heads of Groups, policy leads.
Prisoner Escort and Custody Services contractors.
For information / Heads of Groups in NOMS HQ.
Heads of Sentencing Policy and Penalties Unit and Criminal Justice Women’s Strategy Team in Justice Policy Group of the Ministry of Justice
Contact / Peter Connor – Senior Contracts Manager, BASS, National Operations Group, NOMS

07789 921772
Associated documents / PSO 6101 – Bail Information Scheme
PSO 6700 – Home Detention Curfew
PSI 72/2011 - Discharge
PC 29/2000 – Bail Information
PSI 25/2013 & PI 10/2013Accommodation and Support Service for Bail and HDC
Audit/monitoring :
NOMS will monitor compliance with the mandatory actions set out in this Instruction. Prisons and Probation Trusts must demonstrate compliance with these actions when required to do so by NOMS.
Introduces amendments outlined in the following documents –
none.
Notes: – Updated xx August 2013. BASS PSI 34/2010 – PI 09/2010 has now been cancelled and replaced by PSI 25/2013 – PI 10/2013. Paragraph 2.1 and the associated documents on the front page of this PSI have been amended accordingly referencing the new instruction

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CONTENTS

Section / Subject / Applies to
1 / Executive summary / All Staff
2 / Operational instructions / All Staff

Executive summary

1. Background

1.1The Bail Accommodation and Support Service Specification was issued to Directors of Offender Management in December 2010, to be forwarded to prisons and Probation Trusts. This instruction sets the effective date for implementation of the Specification and introduces an up-to-date version of the Specification and supporting implementation guidance. The updated Prisons Service Instruction and Probation Instruction will be issued in due course.

1.2The Specification has been reformatted and contains a number of amendments including:

DOM references amended to NOMS commissioners
Row 3 - IAC references amended to offenders subject to a Residence Requirement (as part of those alternative to custody schemes approved by NOMS commissioners to use BASS)
Row 31 in the section detailing the Prison Service/Probation Trust responsibilities (Rows 26-40) amended to clarify responsibility of Trust staff i.e. defendants/offenders are assisted in securing resources (e.g. travel warrant from PECS staff) to travel to BASS accommodation rather than provided with required resources to travel to BASS accommodation

Desired outcomes

1.3That the specification is implemented throughout England and Wales in order that prisons and Probation Trusts meet the expectations regarding engagement with BASS relating to screening, referral, liaison and communication.

Mandatory actions

1.4Governors, Directors and Probation Trust Contract Managers must ensure that the following staff are made aware of this instruction:

All staff in prisons and courts involved in bail information work or referral to bail accommodation services
All staff involved in supporting video link courts in prisons
All staff involved in considering and processing applications for HDC
All staff involved in the discharge of prisoners from prisons
All staff involved in the provision of accommodation for offenders and for prisoners on reception and on release
All staff involved in considering the use of residence requirements involving BASS (as part of those alternative to custody schemes approved by NOMS commissioners to use BASS)
Offender Managers for offenders on HDC or with residence requirements and for those defendants on bail who are also under OM supervision.

1.5Governors, Directors and Probation Trust Contract Managers must ensure that the procedures introduced by this Instruction are followed from 1 April 2011.

Resource Impact

1.6The service elements listed as ‘Prison Service/ Probation Trust Responsibilities' at rows 26-40 are not costed within this specification. These service elements provide further detail regarding responsibilities which directly relate to this service but they have been/will be more generally specified and costed within:

The proposed Bail Services specification will capture the costs of both Court and Prison based Bail Information Schemes

The specification Manage the Custodial Sentence Pre and Post Release covers Prison and Probation costs for pre and post release HDC work including those with a BASS placement (e.g. assessment/liaison/enforcement)

The specification Manage the Sentence for a Community Order/Suspended Sentence Order and Deliver Supervision Requirement covers additional Probation costs for overseeing Residence Requirements with accommodation providers such as BASS (e.g. assessment /liaison/ and enforcement)

2.Operational instructions

2.1The BASS Specification implementation guidance and PSI 25/2013 and PI 10/2013 provide the detailed operational instructions and guidance necessary to implement the Specification.

[Para2.1updatedxx/08/2013 to conform with PSI 25/2013 – PI 10/2013]

2.2The requirement is for the Specification to be implemented from 1 April 2011.

2.3The Specification and guidance can be found electronically on EPIC and the MoJ internet site at

Further information

Please see cover sheet for contact details.

(signed)

Colin Allars

Director of Probation and Contracted Services

PSI 17/2011 – PI 03/2011UNCLASSIFIED UPDATE ISSUED xx/08/2013 Page 1