This Probation district serves a population of around half a million people in the city of Coventry, a densely populated urban environment.

Some 50 probation staff supervise offenders in the district and provide reports and other advice to the Crown and Magistrates Courts.

In addition, there are specialist teams responsible for developing unpaid work and programmes which are designed to help offenders alter their patterns of behaviour to prevent them re-offending.

In Coventry there are extremely well developed partnerships, and Probation is active in a number of them. Probation staff work closely with the police, prison service, community drugs team and community alcohol team as well on the local authority and other statutory and voluntary agencies in crime reduction initiatives.

One scheme, for example, identifies offenders in prison who have previously committed a high number of offences. Action is taken to try to ensure that they are diverted from this offending. This is coupled with a high level of police surveillance on release.

Strong links with local voluntary organisations include CARIBA, where education and training opportunities are provided for black and ethnic minority offenders, Cyrenians where help is given to offenders to find accommodation and Swanswell Trust who provide alcohol reduction programmes for offenders.

Probation staff are seconded to the Youth Offending Service in Coventry. They are also active on the Safeguarding Children Board, Community Safety Partnership and Multi-Agency Public Protection Partnership. They work closely with Adult Education, City College and Henley College to assist offenders to increase their skills.

An example of joint working in the Progress 2 Work scheme which assists offenders to gain employment. This is in co-operation with Warwickshire Probation Area and the Primary Care Trusts and Job Centre Plus, as well as Coventry local authority.

The many links between the Probation Service and other organisations throughout the district reflect the reality that effective crime reduction and public protection require joint action.