In what will be regarded by many as a retrograde step the prison and probation saervice are to emerge. “Britain’s prison and probation services are to be merged, in a radical streamlining of the penal system announced today by the home secretary, David Blunkett.The two existing bodies will be subsumed into a new National Offender Management Service (Noms), in what the Home Office is promising will be a measure to cut both reoffending and prison numbers.Announcing the plan in the Commons, following a press conference this morning, Mr Blunkett said the aim was to “reduce crime by radically transforming the performance of the prison and probation services”…

The Guardian