| First National Probation Champion of the Year is from Essex Probation
Offender Manager Steve Knight of Essex Probation Trust has been named Probation Champion of the Year at the first annual Probation Awards.
Honoured for his outstanding work with Prolific and Priority Offenders (PPOs), a role he has carried out for the last four years, Steve has helped to turn around the lives of some of the most challenging offenders.
Director General Phil Wheatley said: "Congratulations to Steve, firstly for becoming the first ever Probation Champion of the Year, and secondly for the excellent work he has done and continues to do with PPOs.
"He is a more than worthy representative of the innovative and effective work within NOMS that is helping to reduce reoffending and protect the public.
"My congratulations go also to all the category winners and nominees at this first ever Probation Awards. We can all learn from the examples they set through their dedication and professionalism. It is important that we celebrate success in this challenging business of persuading offenders that they can change."
Steve’s work with one prolific offender who had accrued 18 convictions in one year is one example of why he was chosen as Probation Champion of the Year.
He persisted with the offender and successfully referred him to The Bridge Project, an intensive alternative to short custodial sentences, which the offender had previously received.
The offender is now in full time employment and is close to successfully completing a Community Order for the first time ever.
Steve has also devised new strategies for dealing with PPOs, and introduced a more robust approach when dealing with breaches and licence failures, among other achievements.
Steve said: "It’s good to be recognised for the work that we do. Often the media focuses on the bad side of what we do. But we’ve seen from all the work and effort that’s everybody here at the awards has put in, there’s nothing we can’t achieve."
| 
