The National Probation Service, like most government organisations, is subject to a demanding set of performance targets.

Achievements against these targets are increasingly linked to resource allocation.

The National Probation Directorate gives each Area targets and the Director of Probation, Roger Hill , issues regular performance reports.

Thames Valley's targets for 2006-07 are listed below:

90%: Timeliness of Risk of Harm assessments and sentence plans (high risk and Prolific and other Priority Offenders)

90%: Timeliness of court reports

90% enforcement

Compliance:
1)Proportion of arranged appointments which the offender attends in the first 26 weeks

2) proportion of case that reach the six month stage without requiring breach action

1,316: basic Skills starts

9 days: reduce staff sickness absence to an average of 9 days per member of staff per year

85% of victims to be contacted within 8 weeks (target always exceeded)

1,478 Unpaid Work completions

411 offenders placed in employment

329 offenders placed in employment which is retained for 4+ weeks

439 Drug Rehabiltation Requirement (DRR) commencements

164 DRR completions

90% DRR first contact arranged

452 accredited programme completions

95% race and ethnic monitoring