Questions of Legitimacy in Probation Practice after Transforming Rehabilitation

In this article, we discuss the impact of changes to the organisational structure of probation on the legitimacy of probation practice. In particular, we explore how the division of probation into the National Probation Service (NPS) and Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) could affect the self-legitimacy felt by probation practitioners in both organisations and the implications for probation of a possible lack of overall legitimacy post-Transforming Rehabilitation (TR). This article is based on empirical research exploring the views of probation staff of the (then) impending changes introduced via TR and reflections on what has happened since.