Many probation staff work in Avon & Somerset's prisons. The number of seconded probation staff and the exact nature of the work vary between the establishments. Details are set out in a contract agreed between the Prison Governor and the Probation Trust's Chief Officer.

What probation staff do in prison
Prepare information and risk assessments on prisoners being considered for early release e.g. advising on curfews
Work on offending behaviour within the sentence management process
Work on the prison's bail information scheme, for prisoners on remand awaiting trial
Contribute to minimising the risk of prisoner's self harm
Work with the prison service on sentence management, supporting prison staff in the preparation of sentence plans
Run group work with prisoners designed to address offending behaviour and reduce the likelihood of further offending
Work with voluntary and specialist agencies offering advice and support to prisoners to promote the successful resettlement of prisoners
Liaise with probation staff in the community who supervise prisoners after release.
Probation staff's work with prisoners after release

Most prisoners do not serve the whole of their sentence in custody. At a predetermined stage they are released to serve the rest of their sentence in the community.
Those sentenced to less than a year are released after serving half their sentence and are not supervised.
Those sentenced to between a year and 47 months are released on licence after half the sentence and are supervised by the probation service until the end of the sentence.
Those sentenced to four years or more may be released on parole after serving half their sentence, but are automatically released on licence after serving two-thirds of the sentence. Both these groups are also supervised by the probation service.
The length of the supervision period depends on the length of the sentence and the point at which the prisoner is released.

This can vary from three months for someone sentenced to a year's custody and the remainder of his/her life for someone sentenced to life.

About supervision
The prisoner reports to the supervising officer immediately after release. The supervising officer draws up a supervision plan with the offender.

The sentence plan addresses issues such as housing, employment and reintegration into the community and identifies the work needed to prevent re-offending.

A release licence may include conditions such as living at a probation hostel or staying away from the area where the crime was committed or from previous victims. Any breach of the licence can mean a return to prison to serve the remainder of the sentence in custody.

For the most serious offenders there may be other restrictions. The Prison Governor works closely with the police and other agencies to mage these licences.

The Prison Service, this links to the main Prison Service website.
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/

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