Offenders on community sentences or who are allowed to leave prison before the end of their sentence are supervised by the Probation Service.

The Probation Service aims to help offenders and prisoners rehabilitate and fit back into the community.

It also tries to stop reoffending in changing offenders' behaviour by running education and training courses, and by helping offenders to get work.

Probation officers make sure that the offender is aware of the effect of their crime on victims and the public.

Most offenders are released from prison before the end of their sentence on 'licence'. The licence includes conditions such as curfews and bans from contacting certain people. The Probation Service supervises offenders released from prison on licence.

If offenders misbehave while on probation, such as breaking licence and not keeping probation appointments, they can be sent back to court and even prison.