By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, May 1 NZPA - An expert panel monitoring work to improve the performance of the probation service is looking at streamlining procedures and policies, ensuring staff have the right tools and looking at how performance is monitored.

It has also had initial discussions about whether New Zealand needs a separate body to monitor probation services.

The panel, set up after a damning report by Auditor-General Kevin Brady into the Department of Corrections' Community Probation and Psychological Service, had its first meeting this week.

Mr Brady looked at 100 parole cases, including 52 high risk offenders, and found that in most cases correct procedures were not followed.

Staff did not even carry out some of the special provisions brought in after parolee Graeme Burton murdered Karl Kuchenbecker in January 2007.

Panel chairwoman Paula Rebstock and UK Chief Inspector of Probation Andrew Bridges told media today the service had already made significant improvements.

"Our initial impression is that the probation service appears to be making improvements and is very committed to making further improvements in its quality and service standards," Ms Rebstock said.

Key priorities for the service were ensuring offenders complied with their parole orders, reducing reoffending rates, and minimising risk to public.

Having only had one meeting it was too early to make any recommendations but the panel said it would consider streamlining procedures and policies, ensuring staff had the right tools and looking at how performance was monitored.

"It's very important to make sure the service is monitoring the right things," Ms Rebstock said.

"We have spent some time looking at performance measures."

The panel wanted to streamline procedures but not at the expense of making things more complicated.

"(Front line staff) have told us that there are many things that can be done to streamline some of the areas where there's a tremendous focus now and there's a lot of measurement of activity," Ms Rebstock said.

For instance there was a great deal of measurement on ensuring compliance with the precise terms of parole orders and sentences.

Greater streamlining of that would allow greater focus on other areas, "particularly on minimising harm to the public and also reducing the rate of reoffending".

Ms Rebstock said the panel was not focusing on more money for staffing -- raised in Mr Brady's report -- as that was up to the government and the department but depending how the panel's work went it may look at it in future.

"I think we are a long way from that. Even on the current plan that the probation service has in place allows for improvements in those areas," she said.

"I've never seen a business or a service that couldn't improve their performance within the budget that they have. I don't think that potential has been exhausted."

Mr Bridges heads the Inspectorate of Probation which is a separate monitoring body for probation in England and Wales.

Asked if New Zealand needed a separate inspectorate, Mr Bridges said that was for New Zealand to decide.

"They are decisions for government."

However, the panel did have initial discussion on the idea.

There were high costs for a small country like New Zealand and Corrections was reviewed by bodies like the Auditor-General as well as internal monitoring.

"It's something I think that we will think about and consider whether we should take it any further," Ms Rebstock said.

"We have had an initial discussion on it and there's a lot to do before we get to that point."

Consideration of the idea was more likely to come nearer the end of the process.

The panel will keep running until it is confident it can assure ministers the service is performing at highest possible quality and changes are enduring.

The panel reports monthly to Corrections Minister Judith Collins and to the State Services Commission. It will meet monthly in Wellington and Mr Bridges will be flown in by Corrections or attend via video link. The panel is visiting probation service offices around the country.

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