HM Inspectorate of Probation is committed to reviewing, developing and promoting the evidence base for high-quality probation and youth offending services.

The Inspectorate’s Research Team provides a research and analytical function with responsibility for:

• reviewing and contributing to the policy and operational evidence base for probation and youth offending services;
• ensuring that our inspection standards, organisational positions and effective practice products are evidence based; and
• providing technical advice so that our inspections are as robust and impactful as possible.

We are committed to publishing our research findings and using them, alongside our inspection findings, to inform our understanding of what helps and what hinders probation and youth offending services. We will use the findings to develop our inspection programmes, guidance and position statements. We will also use the evidence to consider system-wide change that could improve public protection, support desistance, and change people’s lives for the better.