Hostels

 In Lancashire, Probation funds and manages two Home Office approved hostels for offenders. These hostels in Blackburn and Accrington provide a structured and supportive environment where residents live under close supervision. Residents are those who have been referred either as a condition of their

• bail by a Court
• Community Rehabilitation Order sentenced by a Court
• post-release Licence from prison.

The hostels have a valuable role contributing to public protection. Residents must live by the hostel rules, which includes night time curfew. The rules are strictly enforced and extra conditions may be applied to an individual resident. Staff observe the residents daily and continually assess individual residents' behaviour. Immediate action will be taken to return a resident to custody in the event of a resident 's failure to comply with requirements or changed behaviour posing serious risk of harm to others.

Our two hostels achieve consistently good performance, matching and at times exceeding national target, in the high level of residents successfully completing their required period of residence. Lancashire Probation Area achieved as one of the top 3 in England and Wales in 2001-2002 exceeding the national target occupancy.

Hostel residents are encouraged to undertake training courses while at the hostel to improve their employability. As part of the hostel programme, all residents have the opportunity to undertake the City and Guilds 'Skill Power' Certificate qualification covering such skills as communication, IT, literacy, teamwork and an occupational module.