Prolific and Priority Offenders

In 2004, the Prolific and Other Priority Offender scheme was put into place to target those offenders who commit the most crime and cause the most harm to local communities. 

The Joint Action Group (JAG) keeps a list of prolific offenders that is constantly updated.  These offenders can be referred onto the scheme by any angency that sits on the monthly JAG meetings but it is the police and probation service in reality who nominate the bulk of the list.  After sharing all information held on the offender a decision is made by the JAG on whether to include them on the PPO list.  When an offender is placed on the list they are, unless there are operational reasons not to do so, they are informed.

There are three parts to the Prolific and Other Priority Offender scheme:

1              Prevent and Deter

2              Catch and Convict

3              Rehabilitate and Resettle

The National Probation Service participates in the first two parts of this scheme, but we are primarily responsible for the third – rehabilitate and resettle.  We do this by ensuring that all offenders on this list are given intensive supervision.  These offenders often have a problem with substance misuse and therefore all prolific offenders must complete a compulsory drug test upon release from prison.  Failure to attend this or a positive result leads to immediate recall to prison.

Early research completed relating to the Prolific and Other Priority Offenders scheme have shown it to be successful in reducing offending.

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