Racism dismissed as ‘banter’ in probation service, finds watchdog

RACIAL SLURS among probation officers were dismissed as “banter” and ethnic minority staff were handed the cases of race hate criminals without being consulted, a watchdog said.

One probation officer was even propositioned by a white male colleague because “he had not had sex with a black woman before”, a report on race equality in the service found.

Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said the findings were “disappointing” and said staff did not feel experiences of racism had been taken seriously. Inspectors said they heard “distressing

stories” of inappropriate behaviour towards ethnic minority staff including instances of “stereotyping, racist and sexualised language”.

Several said they did not feel it was safe to raise issues of racial discrimination and serious complaints had been “repeatedly

downplayed, ignored or dismissed”.

Although inspectors described some of the problems as “systemic”, Mr Russell stopped short of branding the Probation Service “institutionally racist”.

The inspection, between October and December, looked at services in Bradford and Calderdale, Liverpool and Sefton, Hackney and Tower Hamlets in east London, Bedfordshire and Birmingham, considering 150 cases while also speaking to more than 100 probation staff and 80 offenders.

Inspectors made 15 recommendations for the Prison and Probation Service and the National Probation Service, which included calls for more training. Director general for probation Amy Rees said it was a “difficult” report and support “clearly” needs to be “better tailored” for BAME offenders.