‘Work locally’: The slow journey to devolving probation in Wales

Probation in Wales operates along a ‘jagged edge’ of criminal and social justice. Agencies which support rehabilitation, including health, education, and housing, are devolved to the Welsh Government (WG), adding complexity to probation development and practice. Several reviews have suggested devolving probation to WG to address this and improve probation outcomes. This commentary examines the case for devolution of probation in Wales, including: (1) the Welsh context in which probation operates, (2) differences in probation work in Wales, (3) opportunities to ‘work locally’ within the current devolution settlement and (4) the prospect that devolution could afford – a more progressive socially just probation.