4.1 A total of 8,751 POs (including POs with a Requirement of Unpaid Work) were made in 2007-08. This is an increase of four per cent compared to the level of orders in 2006-07.
Chart 4 Number of Probation Orders (1), 2005-06 to 2007-08
1. Includes Probation Orders with a Requirement of Unpaid Work.
4.2 Male offenders accounted for 81 per cent of POs. The incidence of POs was highest amongst 18 to 20 year olds (82 per 10,000 population) and was also relatively common amongst 16 to 17 year olds (59) and 21 to 25 year olds (52).
4.3 Males receiving Probation tended to be younger than females, with 29 per cent of POs for males and 23 per cent of those for females being given to offenders aged under 21 years.
4.4 As with Community Service, the employment status of offenders provides an indication of the availability of offenders (see paragraph 3.4). Seventy-one per cent of POs were for offenders who were unemployed or not seeking employment. A further 22 per cent of POs were for offenders in full-time employment, self employed, in full time education or on a government sponsored training scheme.
4.5 Thirty-eight per cent of all POs had standard conditions only. A Requirement of Unpaid Work was made in 31 per cent of Orders, while 11 per cent included conditions of Alcohol and/or Drug Treatment/Education. Information was collected for the first time in 2005-06 on POs with a condition of attendance on a domestic abuse programme or of attendance on a sex offender programme (accredited or non-accredited). POs with a condition of attendance on a domestic abuse programme has decreased since then from two per cent to one per cent and the number of POs with a condition of attendance on a sex offender programme has seen a small decrease (79 cases in 2005-06 and 63 in 2007-08).
4.6 Probation Orders with standard conditions only were more likely to be imposed on females (43 per cent) than males (37 per cent). A Requirement of Unpaid Work was more common amongst males (33 per cent) than females (23 per cent).
Breach Applications of Probation Orders
4.7 There were 3,400 breach applications made to the Courts in 2007-08 in respect of POs, a decrease of 7 per cent compared to the 2006-07 total of 3,650 applications. Males accounted for 83 per cent of breach applications.
4.8 The number of breach applications is not directly comparable with the number of orders provided previously (which covers new orders only) as some of the breach applications may relate to orders started in previous years.
4.9 Seventeen per cent of breach applications resulted in the original order being revoked and a custodial sentence imposed, 12 per cent resulted in the order being revoked and a new probation order imposed, 2 per cent in the order being revoked and a community service order being imposed and 9 per cent in the original order being revoked and some other action taken (including a monetary penalty). In 18 per cent of applications, the original order was continued and no further action taken by the court. The outcome was not yet known in 28 per cent of applications.
Terminations of Probation Orders
4.10 A total of 6,849 POs were terminated in 2007-08, an increase of one per cent from the 2006-07 total of 6,755. Just under 60 per cent of these orders were successfully completed (including early discharge following a review). Twenty-eight per cent were terminated following a breach application. The remaining 13 per cent of orders were terminated for other reasons (including transfer to another area and death of the offender).
4.11 Females (61 per cent) were slightly more likely to complete orders successfully (including early discharge following a review) than males (58 per cent). A greater proportion of orders were terminated following a breach for males (29 per cent) than females (26 per cent).