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Document Sample
Skills for Justice - Labour Market Information Report for
the Adult Advancement Career Service
Funded by Department of Business, Innovation and Skills
Prepared by Skills for Justice Research Team
1 30/09/2010
CONTENTS:
Section 1.0 Introduction to the Sector;
Section 2.0 Police and Law Enforcement;
Section 3.0 Prosecution Service;
Section 4.0 Courts and Tribunal Services;
Section 5.0 Forensic Science;
Section 6.0 Custodial Care;
Section 7.0 Community Justice;
Section 8.0 Fire and Rescue Service.
Section 9.0 Legal Services
Section 10 Third Sector .
Under Sections 2.0 to 9.0 there are the following sub-sections:
Sector Description
Information on careers available and new emerging jobs, transferability of skills, career
paths and opportunity for progression
Information on pay scales
Information on entry requirement, application processes
Qualifications
Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Skills Shortages
Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a sector from another area
or sector
Job Profiles
Case Studies
FAQs
Sources of additional information, web-links etc
Regional Information (plus UK wide information)
2 30/09/2010
Introduction to the Sector
1.0 Skills for Justice - Justice and Community Safety Sector –
United Kingdom
Sector Informationi
The UK Justice sector has a wide range of different organisations, although operating to
individual remits; they work towards the same broad purpose – the creation and maintenance of a
safe, just and stable society.
The over-arching purpose of the Justice System is to:
Reduce crime and re-offending
Promote confidence in the Criminal Justice System
Protect people and contribute to the reduction and fear of crime
Support the administration of Justice
The Justice sector employs around 600,000 employees (not including Legal Services) across
seven major strands of activity, each with their own unique functions.
Policing & Law Enforcement
Maintenance of law and order
Prevention and detection of crime
Reassurance and support for communities
Forensic Science
Detection of crime
Varied roles such as Crime Scene Investigator, Forensic Biologists, Forensic Chemists,
Forensic Toxicologists and Fingerprint Officers.
Prosecution Services
Investigation of sudden or suspicious deaths
Production and issue of summonses
Preparation of cases for court
Public prosecutions
Court and Tribunal Services
Judiciary, magistracy and tribunals
Court management and administration
3 30/09/2010
Custodial Care
Detention
Secure escort services
Prevention of re-offending
Electronic monitoring services
Community Justice
Community safety and crime prevention
Prevention of offending and re-offending
Supervision of offenders in the community
Community-based rehabilitation project
Services for victims, survivors and witnesses
Fire & Rescue Services
Fire and rescue emergency response
Emergency planning
Community fire safety
Legal Services
Including Legal Advice
The majority of the workforce is located in England equivalent to approximately 419,290
workers across all seven strands.
Justice Sector Employment across the UK
2%
9% England
Wales
4%
Scotland
Northern Ireland
85%
4 30/09/2010
Table 1.0 Total Justice sector employment across the UK
Sub-sector / strand Total employment in the UK 2007-08
Policing & Law Enforcement 321,828
Forensic Science 8,947
Prosecution Service 11,258
Courts & Tribunals 26,652
Custodial Care 77,609
Community Justice 76,963
Fire & Rescue Services 74,228
Total 597,485
Most organisations in the Justice sector are large – this is especially the case in terms of Policing
& Law Enforcement and Custodial Care, where there are a relatively small number of forces or
prisons employing a large number of people. A higher concentration of smaller employers can be
found in Community Justice, where a large number of organisations are located in the third sector
(non-profit / charitable organisations). The estimated number of third sector organisations in the
Justice sector is likely to be in the order of 12,500 in the UK.
Those employed in the Skills for Justice sector are:
Located in primarily two main occupational groups:
o Professional and technical (54% of all employment)
Sergeant, Constable and Police Community Support Officer (Policing &
Law Enforcement)
Forensic analysts (Imaging, fingerprint, Biology, Chemistry) and Scenes
of Crime Officers (SOCO)
Court Officer or Executive Officer
Legal Associates
Prison Officer, Prison Officer support grade, Prison Custody Officer
Community Safety Officer, Community warden, Project worker, Arrest
referral worker
5 30/09/2010
o Administrative and secretarial (18%)
Administrative officers, caseworkers, administrative support staff across all
the strands
More highly qualified than average, with 35 per cent qualified to A Level / Certificate of
Higher Education level and above compared to 28 per cent across all in employment.
Only 7 per cent have no or very low qualifications, compared to 23 per cent across all
sectors. The main reason for the high qualification level is due to the high level of training
entrants to the Justice sector receive. Most job roles include on-the-job training to A –
level and higher as part of their induction.
More likely to be employees, with self-employment negligible (approx >1%)
More likely to work full-time, 87 per cent in the sector working full-time
Compared to the economy, those working in the UK Justice sector are more likely to be:
Male: 56% male and 44% female in the sector. Women are underrepresented in the Justice
sector, making up 44% of the Justice workforce compared to 46% of the whole economy. The
nature of Justice sector occupations means that women tend to be clustered in support staff
roles and in Community Justice rather than frontline roles such as Police Officers or Prison
Officers. The proportion of women in the workforce tends to reduce as roles increase in
seniority.
From white ethnic groups: 93 per cent are from white ethnic groups whereas 91% of UK
workforce are from white ethnic groups.
The age distribution shows that there are fewer at either end of the age scale, with fewer
young workers (8% aged 16 – 24) or fewer older workers (12%). Certain key roles in the
Justice sector like police and prison officers have an age limit of 18 years and 30 year
retirement schemes can create a lack of younger and older workers at either end of the
spectrum.
Those in the Skills for Justice sector tend to be grouped in the ‘prime age’ ranges: 55 per cent
are aged 25 – 44 compared to 47 per cent across the whole economy.
Useful Information:
The Criminal Justice System Website - Careers in the Criminal Justice System:
http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/the_cjs/careers/
Criminal Justice System - Want to get involved in the Criminal Justice System? Your guide to
careers and volunteering - http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/downloads/application/pdf/CJS-Careers-
Eng.pdf
The University of Edinburgh – Careers Service: Career Choices with Law – where else can I use
my law degree without qualifying as a lawyer?
http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ug/files/careerchoiceswithlawsept09.pdf
6 30/09/2010
Sub-sectors – United Kingdom
2.0 Policing & Law Enforcement
2.1 Sector Description
The aim of Policing & Law Enforcement within the UK United Justice sector is to maintain law and
order and to prevent and detect crime. The main functions are:
Promote safety and reduce disorder;
Reduce crime and fear of crime;
Investigating crime;
Contribute to delivering justice in a way that secures and maintains public confidence in
the rule of law.
The Policing and Law Enforcement strand includes agencies responsible for:
Maintenance of law and order
Prevention and detection of crime and
Reassurance and support for communities.
Organisations
The Policing sector includes:
43 Police Forces in England and Wales
8 Police Forces in Scotland
Police service of Northern Ireland, and
Non-Home Office forces such as British Transport Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, and
Ministry of Defence Police.
Special forces - Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Scottish Crime and Drug
Enforcement Agency and Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch
Law enforcement organisations primarily work to protect the United Kingdom’s borders and
frontiers. This includes HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and UK Border Agency. (UKBA).
Their work can expand past the areas of law enforcement therefore only staff who work in a law
enforcement / detection capacity are included in this strand.
7 30/09/2010
Geographical area of operation Organisations
Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
UK Borders Agency
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
UK wide
Ministry of Defence Police,
Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch
(RMP SIB)
British Transport Police
Great Britain
Civil Nuclear Constabulary
England & Wales Police Service
Police Service
Newham Community Constabulary
Wandsworth Parks Police Service
England only
Port of Dover Police
Port of Liverpool Police
Merseyside Tunnels Police
Wales only Police service
Scottish Police Service
Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency,
Scotland only
Information Services -Criminal Justice
Scottish Police College
Northern Ireland only Northern Ireland Police Service
ii
The majority of employees in this strand work within the police service (296,978; 89%) and in
iii
England (248,649; 76%) although they are spread throughout the UK.
8 30/09/2010
iv
Figure 2.0 Types of employing organisations in the Policing & Law Enforcement strand
Sub-sector Estimates (2008-09)
Policing 262,124
Non-Home
Office Forces 62,231
Special Forces 4,645
Total 329,000
The Policing & Law Enforcement strand is similar across the UK, with a concentration of larger
organisations. There are approximately 90 establishments across the UK with the majority
employing over 200+ employees.
Characteristics of the workforce
Compared to the whole economy, those working in the Police & Law Enforcement are more likely
to be:
v
Male: 62% are male and 38% female in the sector
From white ethnic groups: 95% are from white ethnic groups, compared to 91% across
vi
the whole economy.
2.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunity for progression
Key job roles in Policing & Law Enforcement fall into the category of either officers or non-
uniformed support staff.
Officers
Police officers train for two years as probationers before moving onto the rank of Constable.
From the rank of Constable, officers progress to Sergeant and up the following ranks;
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendant,
Chief Superintendants and
Chief Constable
As of 31 March 2010 there were 141,669 (staff available for duty data) Police Officers in Engalnd
vii
and Wales.
9 30/09/2010
British Transport Police - 2,677 officers were employed by the British Transport Police
viii
across England and Wales on 31 March 2010.
Immigration Officers are the key enforcement role in the UK Border Agency. There are
ix
approximately 9,000 who work across the UK in two main functions:
Border Control
Enforcement/Removals
Those who enter the UK Border Agency generally start as an assistant immigration officer and
work towards achieving promotion to immigration officer through internal application.
The UK Border Agency operates as the single force at the border for the UK. In August 2009 HM
Revenue and Customs transferred several thousand customs detection officers to the agency,
following Parliament agreeing to give it customs control powers.
Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs now employs approximately ???? staff whose primary
purpose is enforcement with the common job type being that of an Officer?.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are a new and emerging support staff role in
English and Welsh police forces. The role, introduced in 2006, is uniformed and that supports the
work of police officers working within a community. They carry out high visibility patrols to
increase the police service presence. They have limited powers to tackle lower level crime,
disorder, nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
There were 16,918 full-time equivalent police community support officers, or PCSOs, in the 43
x
English and Welsh police forces on 31 March 2010, a rise of 2.5 per cent since March 2009..
Non-uniformed support staff
Police staff numbers for the 43 English and Welsh forces stand at 83,390 (staff available for duty
xi
data).
Police forces also employ non-uniformed staff to undertake posts in the following:
Accountancy
Call centre
Crime bureau
Finance
Fingerprints
Force intelligence
Legal services
Personnel
Communication and marketing
Scenes of crime and transport.
10 30/09/2010
Among other roles, members of police staff assist visitors to police stations, deal with emergency
999 calls, prepare case papers for prosecution, recruit and train Police Officers, facilitate the
technology and systems and maintain buildings.
Similar support roles exist in non-Home Office forces and special forces as in the Police Service.
2.3 Information on pay scales in Policing & Law Enforcement
Police Constable (on commencing service) £22,680 - £25,317
Police Constable (upon completion of two years service) £26,787
Sergeant £35,610
All Police Officer roles have a £2,163 London salary weighting
Police Community Support Officer – starting salary at £16,000 rising to £18,700 after 5
years of service
Non-uniformed support grades range from £11,400 to over £40,000 depending on the
role.
Immigration Officer: £20,968 - £26,214 (collected July 08). All new entrants start on the
minimum salary scale. Salaries at senior level rise to £54,989 - £69,444. The role also
includes London weighting ranging from £3,020 to £1,240.
2.4 Information on entry requirement, application processes
Police Officer
There are no formal educational requirements for entry to the police service. Recruitment and
selection procedures are managed by police services at a local level, although a nationally
agreed competency-based framework is applied.
Entry is open to British and Commonwealth citizens, EC/EEA nationals, and foreign nationals
who have no restrictions on their leave to remain in the UK and are over the age of 18.
Pre-entry experience is not essential, although it is advantageous to have some experience of
working with individuals or groups in the community, such as sports coaching or working with
local youth groups. Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Effective communication skills including tact and diplomacy
Community and customer focus
A sense of personal responsibility, integrity and resilience
Problem-solving skills
A confident and calm manner
Good literacy skills so that you can accurately record details
Respect for diversity
Team working skills and the ability to work independently.
11 30/09/2010
Prospective entrants complete the initial application form and medical questionnaire, which are
assessed and scored against entrance criteria. If this assessment is positive, the next stage is an
assessment centre comprising a series of assessment tests and an interview. Successful
applicants are then required to pass job-related fitness and medical tests (eyesight, hearing,
blood pressure, body mass and a full medical). The purpose of these tests is to ensure that the
entrant has a basic level of fitness and can meet the physical demands of policing. Appointments
are then made, subject to references and security clearance.
Although you may still be eligible to join the police service if you have minor convictions/cautions,
there are certain offences and conditions that will make you ineligible. If you are at all unsure,
contact your chosen force for more information.
More information on recruitment is available from the Home Office and the Police Recruitment
Service - Could You? websites.
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)
Unlike the requirements for regular police officers, there is no minimum age to apply as a PCSO.
Basic eligibility requirements are:
No minimum or maximum height requirements
No formal educational requirement, but you will have to pass written tests
Only applications from British citizens, EC/EEA nationals, Commonwealth citizens, or
foreign nationals with indefinite leave to remain in the UK will be accepted
A number of crimes will mean a definite or likely rejection of your application, including
anyone who has received a formal caution in the last five years, committed a violent
crime or public order offence
Physically and mentally able to undertake police duties by passing physical exam
Complete a medical history questionnaire and undergo an eyesight test satisfactorily
before appointment
Some tattoos (whether visible or not) and facial piercing might be unacceptable.
Once an application is submitted it will be reviewed, and if it passes an initial assessment, you will
be asked to come to an assessment centre to:
Take a written test
Be interviewed
Take part in interactive role-plays.
Successful applicants will undergo background and security checks, and a basic medical
examination. More information on recruitment is available from the Home Office and the Police
Recruitment Service - Could You? websites.
12 30/09/2010
Immigration Officers
There are not any formal academic qualifications required to become an Immigration Officer,
however most candidates are educated to A level standard. To apply for an immigration officer
post, applicants need to:
Be a UK national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
Have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years
Pass security clearance (due to the sensitive nature of the work)
Be between age 18 and 63
Pass a medical examination.
You may have an advantage when applying if you also have some ability in a foreign language,
but this is not essential. Applicants will usually be invited to an assessment centre where
communication skills, judgment, conflict management skills and awareness of equal opportunities
issues will be tested.
The immigration service recruits for some jobs through the Civil Service Fast Stream scheme.
You can find more information about careers in immigration on the websites of the UK Border
Agency - www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingforus/careers) and Civil Service
Recruitment Gateway.
All new recruits undergo an initial period of specialist training lasting 9 weeks in total. The initial
classroom-based training programme is nearly five weeks, followed by an operational coaching
period of four weeks. Candidates will need to be available for the duration of this training period.
Courses are usually held in the Dover area, Manchester, Stansted, near to Heathrow airport or at
Gatwick airport.
New officers need to acquire a good working knowledge of immigration legislation and associated
rules and instructions. They also receive instruction in interviewing techniques. Further practical
training is carried out on the job under the supervision of experienced officers who are always
available to offer guidance and advice
Non-Uniformed Police Staff
The support roles employed by the police forces vary greatly throughout the forces; from analyst
to call handler or HR and finance to librarian. Each force tends to operate slightly differently and
may have very different job roles; the best route of entry is to contact your local force to discuss
the opportunities available. Qualifications and application process differ from each force and each
job role.
2.5 Qualifications
The table below summarises the qualification gained upon entry into the Policing & Law
Enforcement sector. It is important to note that all of these qualifications can only be undertaken
once a person is recruited into the organisation. Non-uniformed police staff are not included in the
table below as the variety of roles is too numerous containing a variety of necessary of
qualifications.
13 30/09/2010
Job Role Qualification
The Initial Police Learning & Development Programme (IPLDP) is the
training programme undertaken by new police officers and represents
all learning (classroom and experiential) during the two year probation
period
The Level 3 Diploma in Policing replaced the NVQs levels 3 and 4 as
the national minimum qualification that all police forces should use to
accredit their police officers. Officers able to demonstrate competence
for the Diploma will pass their probation
Police Officer
Many forces choose to incorporate the NVQ/Diploma into a
Foundation Degree, giving their officers a higher level of qualification
There is no official mandate for police forces to accredit their officers in
any way, hence no one method, but it is recommended that at the very
least they should complete the Diploma (NPIA are keen to make this
mandated)
http://www.skillsforjustice-
nosfinder.com/qualifications.php?strand_id=1&qcf_id=6
Currently training programmes for PCSOs vary from Force to Force.
PCSOs now have a new qualification Level 3 Certificate in Policing
(Police Community Support Officer). There are a few of the units that
Police Community
appear in the Diploma in Policing plus a few others. The idea is that
Support Officer this will give PCSOs clear progression into a policing role.
(PCSO)
http://www.skillsforjustice-
nosfinder.com/qualifications.php?strand_id=1&qcf_id=14
Immigration Officers undergo an induction programme of approximately
six weeks classroom training followed by consolidated training.
Immigration Officer Immigration Officer training is not accredited at the moment
Officers undergo a core and foundation training programmes that is
delivered in three phases over 12 months. On successful completion of
training, officers are deployed.
Officer (HMRC)
Core and foundation training are accredited with Edexcel and in the
case of Intelligence training for new officers, accredited with the
14 30/09/2010
University of Portsmouth. Edexcel’s qualification is a BTEC Level 3
Award, Certificate, Diploma and Portsmouth’s is a Certificate in Counter
Fraud and Intelligence.
2.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Police Officer figures have remained steady since 2006 with a marginal decrease in
2008. With forces across England & Wales being subjected to cutbacks in funding from
central sources, this will have an impact on the amount invested in operational activity
and recruitment. The new Home Office Secretary recently (June 2010) outlined plans for
the Police at an ACPO conference, she said: "Front-line availability should increase even
as budgets contract,". However the association's president Sir Hugh Orde had said it
would be "misleading in the extreme" to claim police numbers were sustainable in the
xii
face of cuts.
Initially, in March 2006, a target was set to recruit a total of 24,000 PCSOs by March
2008. A Written Ministerial Statement on 27 November 2006 noted that forces would no
longer be expected to increase the number of PCSOs beyond 16,000.
A recent government Green Paper has confirmed provision of funding over the next three
years (2009 – 2011) to increase the Special Constabulary numbers from 14,000 to
20,000 across England & Wales.
There were 15,505 special constables (staff available for duty data) in the 43 forces of
England and Wales in March 2010.xiii
It is important to note though that special constables is a voluntary role and they do not
receive pay for their work.
The Minister of State for Police Reform (Nick Herbert) has stated that he would like to see
xiv
more Special Constables used in a speech in June 2010.
There are no major staff turnover challenges within the forces, although migration
between forces is popular, particularly to larger metropolitan forces away from smaller
rural forces.
There is recognition within forces of the need for workforce to reflect the immediate
community population with targeted recruitment amongst women and BME groups.
There is no specific graduate scheme for the Police.
The High Potential Development Scheme (HPDS)xv is a scheme for serving police
officers that is designed to develop the most talented individuals to become the police
leaders of the future.
The HPDS is a programme for police officers delivered with an academic partner,
resulting in a nationally recognised Masters qualification. It uses a range of innovative
approaches to challenge and equip future leaders. Participants will have to demonstrate
their desire, commitment and the potential to reach senior officer levels and progress to
ACPO.
15 30/09/2010
The initial stage of HPDS leads to an accredited qualification at Post Graduate Diploma
level. Those officers who progress to the second part will undertake an academic
programme leading to a Masters qualification. HPDS officers will normally be promoted
to the next rank when they satisfy the Chief Officer that they are competent. This can
speed up the progression of HPDS officers as they do not have to wait for a vacancy to
become available.
Eligibility Criteria for the HPDS is open to serving police officers at the ranks of Constable
and Sergeant only. Officers from all 43 forces in England and Wales and those
from PSNI, States of Jersey and BTP can apply for the scheme.
There has been a slight decrease in the number of Ministry of Police Officers and
Probationers from 3,748 in 2008 to 3,700 in 2010 and for Civilian Support Staff from 474
xvi
in 2008 to 469 in 2010. This is for the whole of the UK.
xvii
In the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in 2009/10 on average, for the whole of the UK, there
were 796 permanent Police Officers and 44 temporary Police Officers, plus 95 permanent
Police Staff and 3 temporary.
In the Isle of Man Constabulary in 2009/10 there were 244 Police Officers, 50 Special
xviii
Constables, 68 Support Staff and 39 Community Volunteers.
2.7 Skills Shortages
Policing
The Public Sector budget cuts will have an impact on the amount invested in operational activity
and recruitment. Return on investment, performance and financial management, will be skills
needed at both the senior and front-line manager level.
There is reliance in many forces that people already have robust ICT skills and whilst specific
training is provided on specialist systems, widespread generic ICT training is not currently
happening. This may be more applicable to officers rather than support staff, for whom dealing
with ICT is a daily task. Individual police officers have limited or no access to computers as part of
daily operational practice. Increasing use of bespoke software, such as PDAs and Blackberries
may have a long term impact on this area.
HMRC
Ongoing work with part of HMRC has identified the following skills issues:
Change management
Communication and writing skills
Managing and leading teams
UKBA
Below are the following skills issues:
Electronic case management and ICT skills
Multi-agency working skills for first line and team managers with other non-law
enforcement agencies including private custodial providers
16 30/09/2010
2.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
The only entry point at present to become a police officer is the rank of Constable. Pre-entry
experience is not essential, although it is advantageous to have some experience of working with
individuals or groups in the community, such as sports coaching or working with local youth
groups. Additionally, potential entrants could gain this experience by working a volunteer Special
Constable or Police Community Support Officer before applying to be a Constable.
xix
Pre Joining Programmes :
There is increasingly more pre joining schemes being developed by individual Police Forces.
These are likely to increase partially due to budget cuts requiring Forces to find better ways to
provide delivery with less funding. One way of doing this is to get potential recruits to fund their
own pre joining programmes via Higher and Further Education courses. This will save Forces
money as well as reducing the initial training needed once in post. At present, there are three
ways of doing this, i.e. via the Policing Law and Community Certificate (PLC), Foundation Degree
in Policing and the Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) qualification.
The PLC has been developed by Portsmouth University and Surrey Police and is offered by an
increasing number of FE providers, including Brooklands and Guildford FE Colleges in Surrey.
Potential Police Constables applicants have to complete the PLC to be able to apply for posts
with Surrey Police.
The Foundation Degree in Policing has been developed by the University of Central Lancashire
and the Lancashire Constabulary. Each candidate is required to apply to the Lancashire
Constabulary to become a Special Constable through the normal Special Constable recruit
processes. Candidates who are unsuccessful in the Special Constables recruit process will
continue with the Foundation Degree with additional university based modules covering an
alternative syllabus.
The PCSO Qualification can only be completed while working as a PCSO.
Recently adding to this growing list is Wolverhampton University and Staffordshire Police who
has developed a BSc (Hons) in Policing, which similar to Lancashire Constabulary will involve
students gaining a post as a Special Constable. The University of Glamorgan, Wales, has for
some time been involved in delivering courses in conjunction with South Wales police.
Once in post recruits undergo a two year probationer training initiated at their respective police
force. Following a two year probationer training period, recruits progress to become Constables.
From there, officers can choose to specialise in areas such as firearms and progress through the
ranks. The skills and attributes police forces look for in officer recruits include:
Effective communication skills including tact and diplomacy;
Community and customer focus;
A sense of personal responsibility, integrity and resilience;
17 30/09/2010
Problem-solving skills;
A confident and calm manner;
Good literacy skills so that you can accurately record details;
Respect for diversity;
Team working skills and the ability to work independently.
Police Community Support Officers positions are open to anyone who meets the criteria and who
possess the following attributes:
Be confident, level-headed and mature
Have experience and confidence in dealing with difficult people and complex situations
Be sensitive, but also thick-skinned
Have good communication skills
Work well as part of a team
Have the stamina for long stretches on foot patrol
Exhibit excellent communication skills
Be patient in dealing with all types of people, some of whom may be drunk or hostile.
Most Immigration Officer jobs are with the civil service, and there is a clear promotion route which
is often based on your length of service and annual assessments. Entry into the Immigration
Officer role can occur via three routes:
Promotion from Administrative Officer
Promotion from Assistant Immigration Officer
External recruitment to an Immigration Officer position
The skills and attributes need to become an Immigration officer include:
Confident, responsible and methodical approach to work
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
Ability to manage a complex workload
Good spoken and written communications skills
Ability to work alone and in a team
Good powers of observation
Non-uniformed support services in the police service and special forces vary widely and there are
multiple points of entry, skills and qualifications across the gambit of jobs. By visiting websites
one can find the variety of support jobs available in police forces across the UK:
All Police jobs| uses the latest specially-developed software to automatically scoop up all
police jobs posted on force websites so you can find them all in one central location.
18 30/09/2010
Police-jobs| aims to provide an easy to use jobsite for serving and former police officers,
civilian police staff and criminal justice sector practitioners.
Prospects - Police| provides information on qualifications you need for the job of police
constable.
http://www.bluelinejobs.co.uk/ - The Police and Criminal Justice Community job site.
http://policeskills.co.uk/ - a market leading recruitment business dedicated to supplying
experienced practitioners on a temporary, contractual or permanent basis to police,
criminal justice, public and commercial sector employers.
2.9 Information on points of entry or transfer into a sector from another
area sector
The points of entry in Policing & Law Enforcement activities are as follows:
Police Officer (Constable rank)
Police Community Support Officer
Immigration Officer
Officer (HMRC)
Officer (special forces)
Regardless of whether you enter from outside the Justice sector or another Justice sector related
occupation all entrants into the above roles must go through a standard application process,
followed by on the job training ranging from 6 months to 2 years.
Non-uniformed support roles (as mentioned in 2.8) are numerous and varied with many different
points of entry from another sector. Some examples of support roles include:
Accountancy
Call centre
Crime bureau
Finance
Fingerprints
Force intelligence
Legal services
Personnel
Communication and marketing
Scenes of crime and transport
Prepare case papers for prosecution
Facilitate the technology and systems
Maintain buildings.
19 30/09/2010
2.10 Job Profiles
Assistant Immigration Officer:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
216998688&jobprofileid=1092&jobprofilename=Assistant%20Immigration%20Officer
Criminal Intelligence Analyst:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=816
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
488413290&jobprofileid=1484&jobprofilename=Criminal%20Intelligence%20Analyst
Customs Officer:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
815656606&jobprofileid=313&jobprofilename=Customs%20Officer
Detective: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=808
Dog Handler:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=627
Immigration Officer: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingforus/careers
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/immigration_officer_job_description.jsp
Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) Officer:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=2063
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO):
http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/pcso/overview.html
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=719
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=647614219&jo
bprofileid=1283&jobprofilename=Police%20Community%20Support%20Officer
Police Financial Investigator:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=758
Police Front Counter Staff:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=717
Police Officer:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/police_officer_job_description.jsp
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/mod_police_officer_job_description.jsp
http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/officers/overview.html
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=636
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
660856413&jobprofileid=170&jobprofilename=Police%20Officer
20 30/09/2010
Police Support Staff:
http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/other/overview.html
Special Constable:
http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/specials/overview.html
Road Traffic Accident Investigator:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
1523433498&jobprofileid=1313&jobprofilename=Road%20Traffic%20Accident%20Investigator
Anti Fraud Roles:
http://www.fssc.org.uk/anti_fraud_1.pdf
2.11 Case studies
Criminal Intelligence Analyst:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=85&catalogueContentID=2481&parent=816
A day in the life of a Force Diversity Advisor:
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/Day%20in%20the%20life%20article%20-
%20issue%2010.pdf
A day in the life...of a Police Community Support Officer -
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/A%20day%20in%20the%20life%20of%20a%20PCSO
.pdf
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=85&catalogueContentID=2740&parent=719
Police Officer:
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=85&catalogueContentID=3038&parent=636
Sohail, police officer in a neighbourhood policing team in Yorkshire:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/police_officer_case_1.jsp
Police Dog Handler:
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=85&catalogueContentID=2356&parent=627
2.12 FAQs
Do I need to get fit before I apply to be a police officer?
One of the most rigorous elements of our screening process is the physical fitness training.
Because our officers must be able to move quickly while carrying a lot of heavy equipment, they
have to be in pretty good shape.
21 30/09/2010
If you pass the assessment process, you will then have to take a physical fitness test. To pass,
you will need to be reasonably fit, and able to run short distances fairly quickly. Later you will also
have to pass a medical examination. Always remember to check with your chosen force if you
have any specific concerns.
Am I eligible to become a police officer?
Do you think you meet the basic eligibility criteria? Take the quick police officer eligibility
questionnaire, which is designed to help to answer most of your eligibility questions. And, don't
forget, if you have any specific questions you can always contact your local force for more
information.
What is the difference between a PCSO and a police officer?
PCSOs do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or process prisoners, cannot investigate
crime and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks that police officers perform.
How do I apply?
Select a force from Police - Could You? to search for vacancies for police officers and PCSO. Or
choose all forces to view the available vacancies in all 43 English and Welsh forces. Please note
you can only apply to one force at a time. If you are looking for police support staff roles, please
contact your local force.
2.13 Sources of additional information, web-links etc
British Transport Police - www.btp.police.uk
Civil Nuclear Constabulary - www.cnc.police.uk/
Civil Service Recruitment Gateway - http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs/index.aspx
Home Office - http://www.careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Police Could You? - http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/index.php
All Police jobs - http://www.allpolicejobs.co.uk/
Police-jobs - http://www.police-jobs.co.uk/
UK Border Agency - http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingforus/careers
Locate your local Police Force - http://www.police.uk/forces.htm
Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) - http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/jobs/
Association of Chief Police Officers - http://www.acpo.police.uk/about.html
Police-Information.co.uk - http://www.police-information.co.uk/
Police Oracle
22 30/09/2010
http://www.policeoracle.com/careers/how_to_become_a_police_officer.html
Home Office - http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/
Police Professional.com - http://www.policeprofessional.com/index.aspx
Army/Royal Military Police - http://www.army.mod.uk/agc/provost/13306.aspx
Police Service of Northern Ireland: http://www.psni.police.uk/index/careers.htm
Police Life - http://www.police-life.co.uk/news/
Police Review - http://pr.janes.com/public/jprjob/about.shtml
2.14 Regional Informationxx
2.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 5 police forces that employ approximately 18,585 officers, staff and
specials, approximately 7% of the police service. The five forces are:
Derbyshire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East Midlands for Policing & Law
Enforcement are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 6 police forces that employ approximately 22,986 officers, staff and
specials, approximately 9% of the police service. The six forces are:
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Essex
Hertsfordshire
Norfolk
Suffolk
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East of England for Policing & Law
Enforcement are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.3 London
London has 2 police forces that employ approximately 55,505 officers, staff and specials,
approximately 22% of the police service. The forces are:
23 30/09/2010
City of London
Metropolitan Police Service
Additionally 3,100 police officers, staff and specials in the British Transport Police work
throughout London. Skills shortages and labour market projections in the London for Policing &
Law Enforcement are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.4 North East
The North East has 3 police forces that employ approximately 12,555 officers, staff and specials,
approximately 5% of the Police service. The three forces are:
Cleveland
Durham
Northumbria
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the North East for Policing & Law Enforcement
are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.5 North West
The North West has 5 police forces that employ approximately 34,604 officers, staff and specials,
approximately 14% of the police service. The five forces are:
Cheshire
Cumbria
Greater Manchester
Lancashire
Merseyside
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the North West for Policing & Law Enforcement
are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.6 South East
The South East has 5 police forces that employ approximately 33,351 officers, staff and specials,
approximately 13% of the police service. The five forces are:
Hampshire
Kent
Surrey
Sussex
Thames Valley
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South East for Policing & Law Enforcement
are broadly in line with those nationally.
24 30/09/2010
2.14.7 South West
The South West has 5 police forces that employ approximately 21,511 officers, staff and specials,
approximately 9% of the police service. The five forces are:
Avon & Somerset
Devon & Cornwall
Dorset
Gloucestershire
Wiltshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South West for Policing & Law Enforcement
are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 4 police forces that employ approximately 25,265 officers, staff and
specials, approximately 10% of the police service. The four forces are:
Staffordshire
Warwickshire
West Midlands
West Mercia
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the West Midlands for Policing & Law
Enforcement are broadly in line with those nationally.
2.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The Yorkshire & Humberside has 4 police forces that employ approximately 24,287 officers, staff
and specials, approximately 10% of the Police service. The four forces are:
Humberside
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
The skills shortages and labour market projections in Yorkshire & Humberside are broadly in line
with of the rest of England.
2.14.10 Northern Ireland
The largest employing strand in the Northern Ireland Justice sector is Policing & Law
Enforcement (13,700) of which mostly all are employed by Police Service Northern Ireland
(PSNI).
25 30/09/2010
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Northern Ireland are in line with the UK and England & Wales. The role of
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) was going to be introduced in Northern Ireland in 2009
but due to a budget shortfall the introduction has been shelved temporarily.
Skill shortages
There are also a number of skill issues that are specific Policing & Law Enforcement strand in
Northern Ireland. These issues include:
Performance management
First line management skills
Dealing with volume crime
Investigative skills alongside new community policing issues
Qualifications
Qualifications are broadly in line with that of the UK and England & Wales. Specific training is
delivered to all new uniformed recruits into Policing & Law Enforcement roles across the UK, and
where formally accredited, is in line with the relevant qualification level in that country.
Qualifications for support staff vary according to role.
2.14.11 Scotland
Policing & Law Enforcement is one of the largest strands in Scotland employing 26,629 people.
Organisations in the strand include:
Scottish Police Service
Scottish Crime & Drug Enforcement Agency
Information Services – Criminal Justice
Scottish Police College
British Transport Police
HMRC
UK Border Agency
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Scotland are in line with the UK and England & Wales. The role of Police
Community Support Officer (PCSO) has been introduced in Scotland.
Skill shortages
Headline skills issues for the police service in Scotland include:
Increased partnership working
Collaborative leadership
26 30/09/2010
Keeping up with legislative change
ICT and soft skills related to communication
Recruitment process
Attracting quality and job ready Recruits
Additionally are the following challenges across the strand in Scotland including:
Attracting appropriately skilled staff
Increased partnership working across the Justice Sector as a whole
Keeping up with technology
Keeping up with policy and legislative change
Qualifications
Qualifications are broadly in line with that of the UK and England & Wales. Specific training is
delivered to all new uniformed recruits into Policing & Law Enforcement roles across the UK, and
where formally accredited, is in line with the relevant qualification level in that country.
Qualifications for support staff vary according to role.
2.14.12 Wales
Policing & Law Enforcement make up approximately 13,500 of the total Justice sector workforce.
The majority of the 13,500 employees come from police service. Although there are officers and
staff working in the British Transport Police, UK Border Agency, HMRC, Civil Nuclear
Constabulary and Serious Organised Crime Agency.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Wales are in line with the UK and England.
Skill shortages
Specific skills shortage outlined from our research include:
Multi agency working
Management and leadership skills
Performance and quality management
Managing change
Financial and resource management
Risk management
Commercial skills in contracting and procuring
ICT and Computing
Race and Diversity
27 30/09/2010
Qualifications
Qualifications are broadly in line with that of the UK and England & Wales. Specific training is
delivered to all new uniformed recruits into Policing & Law Enforcement roles across the UK, and
where formally accredited, is in line with the relevant qualification level in that country.
Qualifications for support staff vary according to role.
28 30/09/2010
3.0 Prosecution Services
3.1 Sector Description
The aim of the prosecution services strand within the Justice sector is to provide
prosecuting authority for criminal cases. The strand employs 11,258xxi people across the
UK with the majority working in England (76%). The following prosecution services
operate within the UK:
Crown Prosecution Service (England & Wales)
Crown Office of the Procurator Fiscal (Scotland)
Public Prosecution Service (Northern Ireland)
Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office (based in England but remit extends across the UK)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the Government Department responsible for
prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales and is the
primary employer in this strand in England. As the principal prosecuting authority in
England and Wales, it is responsible for:
Advising the police on cases for possible prosecution
Reviewing cases submitted by the police
Where the decision is to prosecute, determine the charge in all but minor cases
Preparing cases for court
Presentation of cases at court.
xxii
The CPS employs over 8,730 staff including around 2,800 lawyers and every year they deal
xxiii
with just over 1.3 million cases in Magistrates’ Courts and another 115,000 in the Crown Court.
The CPS consists of 39 area offices in England; each is headed by a Chief Crown Prosecutor
and corresponds to a single police force area. Although the CPS works closely with the police it is
independent of them.
Some facts about the CPS workforce include:
The average size (77%) of a CPS office is between 50-199 employees.
67% of CPS employees are female and
12% are CPS employees from a minority ethnic background.
The Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office (RCPO) is another employer in this strand. It
xxiv
employs 323 staff of which the majority are lawyers. It is an independent government
department prosecuting major drug trafficking and tax fraud cases across the UK. Prior to the
RCPO, these types of criminal prosecutions were handled separately by Customs and Excise and
Inland Revenue lawyers. RCPO employees are based and work out of two offices located in
London and Manchester.
29 30/09/2010
3.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Key Occupations in this sector are:
Legal staff which includes;
o Legal Trainees
o Prosecutors
o Caseworkers
Administrators
In general, legal staff represents one-third of the workforce (approximately 3,500).
There are three routes into the CPS as a Crown Prosecutor:
As a Legal Trainee in the CPS Legal Trainee Scheme
As an solicitor who is admitted in England and Wales with a full current practising
certificate
As a barrister called to the English Bar who has completed pupillage.
Annually the CPS recruits for trainee barristers and solicitors. Applicants need to have completed
the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC) or be in the final year of study
to apply. It is only when the scheme is completed and solicitor and barrister qualifications are
obtained that the Legal trainee can progress to a Crown Prosecutor. Legal Trainees are also
appointed from internal candidates. Crown Prosecutors need:
Excellent skills in advocacy and personal organisation,
Ability to work effectively within a team;
Have sound judgment
Capacity to work accurately under pressure are essential.
Crown Prosecutor initially work on the more straightforward cases but should progress quickly to
deal with more complex casework. Crown Prosecutors can progress to be either Senior Crown
Prosecutors or Crown Advocates.
Senior Crown Prosecutor (SCP) review, provide advice in and present cases at
magistrates court. They analyse, review, prepare and prosecute a wide range of case,
and will be expected to have up-to-date knowledge of criminal offences ranging from
motoring to murder.
Crown Advocates are a key element to strengthen the prosecution process in the CPS. Crown
Advocates:
Analyse, review, prepare and present a wide range of cases in the Crown Court and the
Court of Appeal
30 30/09/2010
Are expected to have an up-to-date knowledge of all criminal offences and will maintain a
high volume of casework, which will include the review of more serious and complex
cases
Caseworkers provide administrative support, help prepare case files for court and help ensure
smooth communication with other members of the criminal justice system. Whether it is typing up
case notes, filling in forms, filing or acting as the first point of contact, caseworkers are the
bedrock which enables the prosecution team to work effectively and efficiently. Skills needed by
caseworkers include:
Deals with others professionally and respectfully
Able to absorb and react to information quickly
Prioritises work and manages own time effectively
Communicates calmly and effectively to all levels.
Able to make decisions independently
Ability to adapt to changing circumstances
Alongside the legal staff, CPS employs a wide variety of professionals in areas such as:
Communication
Equality and diversity
Human resources
Administration
Emerging Jobs
Associate Prosecutors
Legislation has been introduced permitting Crown Prosecution Service staff who are not lawyers,
to review and present in magistrates courts a limited range of cases involving straightforward
guilty pleas (e.g shoplifting, possession of cannabis).
Under the supervision of experienced Crown Prosecutors, Associate Prosecutors divide their time
between police stations, where they review cases, and local magistrates courts.
The Associate Prosecutor role provides a clear progression path from Administrative roles to
Prosecutor roles in the CPS. Caseworkers who pass a testing training course, validated by an
external body, and are formally designated by the Director of Public Prosecutions, can undertake
some of the Magistrates Court work.
3.3 Information on pay scales in the sectorxxv
Administrative Support Assistant - £13,283 - £16,081 (London: £14,061 - £17,205)
Caseworker – £15,225 - £18,764 (London: £16,439 - £20,139)
Legal Trainee – Suspended 2009/10 and to be reviewed 2010/11 (See below)
Crown Prosecutor - £27,393 – £31,002 (London £29,296 – £33,531)
31 30/09/2010
Senior Crown Prosecutor £34,957 – £42,224 (London £36,355 – £43,807)
Chief Crown Prosecutor - £75,218 (Min. Band 1) - £135,012 (Max.Band 4)
Crown Advocate - £46,506 - £58,002 (London: £50,059 - £62,433)
Senior Crown Advocate - £61,225 - £65, 799 (London: £63, 883 - £68, 482)
3.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
Legal Trainees
Taken from the CPS website regards Legal Trainee recruitment:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/legal_professional_careers/legal_trainees/index.html
‘The decision has been taken to suspend the recruitment of Legal Trainees for 2009/10. The
recruitment of Legal Trainees for 2010/11 will be subject to a further review next year’
See CPS website for further details.
Crown Prosecutors
To apply for a post in the CPS as a Crown Prosecutor an applicant must be either;
As an solicitor who is admitted in England and Wales with a full current practising
certificate
As a barrister called to the English Bar who has completed pupillage.
Applications can be made when vacancies are advertised on the CPS career webpage
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/.
Associate Prosecutors
The Associate Prosecutor role provides a clear progression path from Administrative roles to
Prosecutor roles in the CPS. Caseworkers who pass a testing training course, validated by an
external body, and are formally designated by the Director of Public Prosecutions, can undertake
some of the Magistrates Court work. Therefore entry to this route is predicated by being a
caseworker / administrator within the CPS.
Caseworkers
Caseworkers provide administrative support, help prepare case files for court and help ensure
smooth communication with other members of the criminal justice system. Skills needed by
caseworkers include:
Deals with others professionally and respectfully
Able to absorb and react to information quickly
Prioritises work and manages own time effectively
Communicates calmly and effectively to all levels.
Able to make decisions independently
32 30/09/2010
Ability to adapt to changing circumstances
Applications can be made when vacancies are advertised on the CPS career webpage
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/.
Witness Care Officer
As a Witness Care Officer’s job is to:
reduce ineffective trials,
improve public confidence in the Criminal Justice System,
increase victim and witness satisfaction and
Bring more offences to justice by providing an enhanced level of information to victims
and witnesses.
A Witness Care Officer will act as a single point of contact for victims and witnesses, conducting a
needs based assessment for those required to attend Court and dealing with enquiries and
correspondence from victims and witnesses in a professional and courteous manner.
There are also Witness Care Managers who oversee a team of officers and Senior Witness Care
Unit Managers who oversee 4 Witness Care Managers and approximately 40 Witness Care
Officers. All areas in England and Wales have Witness Care Units, approximately 165 in total.
Video: Debbie Hewlett, Unit Head of the Witness Care Unit in Avon and Somerset:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/reporting_a_crime/keeping_you_informed.html
Administration
Administrative Officers provide general administrative assistance to the team, often acting as the
first point of contact for the unit, dealing professionally and courteously with general enquiries and
passing to the relevant person or department as and when necessary.
They also provide assistance to the team by performing a range of general administrative duties
when required, and build and maintain good working relationships with external agencies and
other members of the Criminal Justice System.
Professional careers
Alongside the legal staff, CPS employs a wide variety of professionals in areas such as:
Communication
Equality and diversity
Human resources
Administration
Entry requirements depend on the many varied roles within the CPS. Applications can be made
when vacancies are advertised on the CPS career webpage http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/.
33 30/09/2010
3.5 Qualifications
Roles such as administrative assistant or caseworker do not require any qualification for
entry.
Associate Prosecutors must pass a testing training course, validated by an external body,
and are formally designated by the Director of Public Prosecutions, can undertake some
of the Magistrates Court work.
Legal Trainee scheme is presently suspended until at least 2010/11.
Crown Prosecutors, Crown Advocates or other legal staff must be either:
o Solicitor who is admitted in England and Wales with a full current practising
certificate
o Barrister called to the English Bar who has completed pupillage
Qualifications for non-legal staff in areas such as communication, equality and diversity,
and human resources depend greatly on the role and vary widely.
3.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The tight spending awards set out in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review are likely to
keep growth in the public administration (this includes the judicial activities and police and fire
services) at or around 1 per cent per year for the rest of the decade. In the long term government
spending on Public Administration & Defence is expected to increase at a lower rate than the
economy as a whole. As a result, a very small decline is projected over the period to 2017.
These projections predict that by 2017:
Declines will be the administrative, clerical and secretarial group.
Increases for managers and professional occupations.
Women are expected to continue to slowly increase their share of total employment.
Part-time working is projected to continue to increase. This sector is a popular source of
jobs for women, particularly those looking for part time employment as conditions are
favourable to such working arrangements.
Pressures to restrain government expenditure and cut costs mean increased productivity and
efficiency will be essential to the sector. A key element of the government's strategy to increase
efficiency and to direct more staff to front-line delivery of services is the efficient and effective
use of technology.
3.7 Skills shortages
Amongst general Prosecution staff the following have been highlighted as skills gaps:
1st line management skills – ‘getting the best out of our people’
Customer service
Being able to work sensitively with victims and witnesses
Management and Leadership skills for legal professionals
34 30/09/2010
3.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
The Legal Trainee scheme has been suspended in 2009/10 and is to be reviewed for
2010/11.
Barrister pupils can serve the entire 12 months within the CPS where they are under the
supervision of an experienced pupil supervisor.
No sponsorship for LPC, BVC or CPE is available through the CPS for external
applicants.
Those with an interest in criminal law could enter the CPS as a caseworker and progress
to an Associate Prosecutor role by passing a training course.
Career progressions pathways are as such that someone can enter the CPS as an
administrator and work up being a Chief Crown Prosecutor through internal
advancement.
The CPS offers an interesting and rewarding career option to those who wish to work
within the criminal justice system in the UK. With a considerable emphasis on advocacy,
the workload is quite different to that of private practice. With branch offices all over the
UK, the CPS offers the usual benefits of employment with a large organisation. The CPS
offers a good training, a commitment to equal opportunities, options for part-time work,
job sharing and career breaks. CPS posts are permanent and pensionable.
3.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Administrator
Caseworkers
Witness Care Officer
Legal trainees – Currently suspended.
Prosecutors
Professional non-legal staff
All applications must go through a standard application process followed with on-the-job training.
In 2006, over 2,000 applications were received for the Legal Trainee Scheme and CPS appointed
24 trainees from external applications. As of March 2007, the CPS had 35 internally-recruited
trainees.
Roles such as administrator and caseworker have internal career progression pathways onto
such roles as prosecutor whereas normally entry into these roles would require outside
qualifications and private practice experience.
35 30/09/2010
3.10 Job Profiles
Administrative roles
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/A2_668_Administrative_Officer.doc
Caseworker –
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/A1_661_Casework_Assistant.doc
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/A2_669_Casework_Support_Officer.doc
Witness Care Officer
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/A2_674_Witness_Care_Officer.doc
Legal Trainee Solicitor
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/legal_professional_careers/legal_trainees/
Pupil Barrister
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/B1_405_Pupil_Barrister.doc
Crown Prosecutor -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/assets/uploads/files/CP_402_Crown_Prosecutor.doc
3.11 Case studies
Witness Care Officer -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/business_administration_careers/witness_care/michael_okai_/
Associate Prosecutor -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/other_legal_professionals/associate_prosecutor/edward_parton/
Legal trainee -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/legal_professional_careers/legal_trainees/lucie_cummins/
Crown Prosecutor -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/legal_professional_careers/crown_prosecutors/tivoli_wallington/
Equality and Diversity Manager -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/professional_careers/equality_and_diversity/lizzy_hilton_equality_
and_diversity/
3.12 FAQs
How many places are there on the CPS Legal Trainee Scheme?
The Legal Trainee scheme has been suspended in 2009/10 and is to be reviewed for 2010/11.
Are there only legal careers at the CPS?
The answer is no! There are plenty of professional and business administration careers within the
CPS in such areas as Human Resources, Equality and Diversity, Communications,
Administrative, and Witness Care.
What are some benefits of working for the CPS?
36 30/09/2010
The work related benefits range from ongoing training and development throughout your career
with the CPS, this includes a wide range of internal/external courses, opportunities for promotion
or opportunities to specialise in specific roles, and providing financial support so that you can
increase your professional qualifications.
CPS benefits that will help you to achieve a work/life balance include a flexible working policy,
choice of pension schemes, competitive annual leave allowances, maternity/maternity
support/adoption leave, flexible hours, childcare support, health benefits, sports and social
activities and staff networks and the opportunity to transfer to different areas across the country.
Source of additional information:
Crown Prosecution Service – Video about it’s role (2009):
http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/journals/dpps_journal/open_justice/
Crown Prosecution Careers Page - http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/
Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office Careers Page - http://www.rcpo.gov.uk/en-
gb/aboutus/Working/Pages/home.aspx
Civil Service Recruitment Gateway - http://beta.civilservice.gov.uk/
Career progression for prosecutors -
http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/benefits_of_working_with_the_cps/career_progression/
3.14 Regional Informationxxvi
3.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 5 CPS Area Offices who employ 590 full time equivalent staff. The five
area offices are:
Derbyshire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East Midlands for Prosecution are broadly in
line with those nationally.
3.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 6 area offices that employ 610 full time equivalent staff. The offices are:
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Essex
Hertsfordshire
37 30/09/2010
Norfolk
Suffolk
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East of England for Prosecution are broadly
in line with those nationally.
3.14.3 London
London has 2 Area Offices who employ approximately 2,160 full time equivalent staff, making it
the largest CPS region.
Additionally Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office employs 323 staff which are split between
London and Manchester. Skills shortages and labour market projections in the London for
Prosecution are broadly in line with those nationally.
3.14.4 North East
The North East has 3 Area Offices who employ 460 full time equivalent staff. The three Area
Offices are:
Cleveland
Durham
Northumbria
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the North East for Prosecution are broadly in
line with those nationally.
3.14.5 North West
The North West 5 Area Offices who employ 1,240 full time equivalent staff. The five Are Offices
are:
Cheshire
Cumbria
Greater Manchester
Lancashire
Merseyside
Additionally Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office employs 323 staff which are split between
London and Manchester. The North West is the second largest region behind London. Skills
shortages and labour market projections in the North West for Prosecution are broadly in line with
those nationally.
3.14.6 South East
The South East has 5 Area Offices who employ 890 full time equivalent staff. The five Area
Offices are:
Hampshire
38 30/09/2010
Kent
Surrey
Sussex
Thames Valley
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South East for Prosecution are broadly in
line with those nationally.
3.14.7 South West
The South West has 5 Area Offices who employ 530 full time equivalent staff. The five forces are:
Avon & Somerset
Devon & Cornwall
Dorset
Gloucestershire
Wiltshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South West for Prosecution are broadly in
line with those nationally.
3.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 4 Area Offices who employ 870 full time equivalent staff. The four Area
Offices are:
Staffordshire
Warwickshire
West Midlands
West Mercia
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the West Midlands for Prosecution are broadly
in line with those nationally.
3.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The Yorkshire & Humberside has 4 Area Offices who 910 full time equivalent staff, the third
largest region in England. The four Area Offices are:
Humberside
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
The skills shortages and labour market projections in Yorkshire & Humberside are broadly in line
with of the rest of England.
39 30/09/2010
3.14.10 Northern Ireland
The Public Prosecution Service (PPSNI) was formally launched in 2005 and has
responsibility for the prosecution of all criminal cases in Northern Ireland. The service is
regionally based and there are four regions in total, each coterminous with one or more
court divisions. The PPSNI employs 562 staff, of which 165 are lawyersxxvii.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Northern Ireland are in line with the UK and England & Wales. There does
exist a potential replacement demand issues of 25% retirement by 2014.
Skill shortages
Additionally, the PPSNI highlighted the following areas of development:
Provision of experience for prosecutors
Management skills for lawyers
Potential impact of devolution
Management skills development
Qualifications
Lawyers who work within the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), equivalent to the Crown
Prosecution Service in England & Wales, are referred to as Public Prosecutors. Public
Prosecutors must be qualified in Northern Ireland or expect to be admitted as a solicitor to apply
for posts. The PPS have run a Legal Trainee Scheme similar to the programme run by the Crown
Prosecution Service. It was first introduced in 2006, with a two-year training contract offered to
candidates who have been accepted by the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. Following an
open competition, two successful candidates were appointed as Legal Trainees during 2007/08,
bringing the total number of trainees currently within the Scheme to four. For financial reasons no
further trainees will be appointed to the Scheme during 2008/09.
3.14.11 Scotland
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) provide Scotland's
independent public prosecution and deaths investigation service. It is a department of
the Scottish Government and is headed by the Lord Advocate. The Procurator Fiscal
Service is divided into 11 areas, with an Area Procurator Fiscal for each.
These areas coincide as far as possible with the boundaries of the eight Scottish police
forces, except in Strathclyde which is further sub-divided into 4 areas.
Within the 11 areas, there is a network of 48 Procurator Fiscal offices, one for each
Sheriff Court district. The COPFS is the sole public prosecution authority in Scotland. It
is responsible for making decisions about and bringing prosecutions for almost all
40 30/09/2010
criminal offences, statutory (devolved and reserved) and non-statutory (common law).
The COPFS employs 1,520 staff of which 30% are legal staffxxviii.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Scotland are in line with the UK and England & Wales.
Skill shortages
The COPFS has headlined the following three areas of their workforce which need developing
over the next three years:
Increased partnership working
Leadership and management
Keeping up with legislative change
Qualifications
Lawyers who work within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Scotland (COPFS), equivalent
to the Crown Prosecution Service in England & Wales, are referred to as Procurator Fiscal
Deputes. Deputes must be qualified in Scotland or expect to be admitted as a solicitor to apply for
posts. Additionally COPFS offer two year legal traineeships. Applications are invited from
graduates in Scots Law (or an equivalent Honours Degree in other subjects, combined with a
degree in Scots Law) who have obtained, or expect to obtain, a Diploma in Legal Practice from a
Scottish university and an entrance certificate from the Law Society of Scotland before August
2010.
3.14.12 Wales
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the Government Department responsible for
prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. As the
principal prosecuting authority in England and Wales, it is responsible for:
Advising the police on cases for possible prosecution
Reviewing cases submitted by the police
Where the decision is to prosecute, determine the charge in all but minor cases
Preparing cases for court
Presentation of cases at court.
The CPS employs over 470 full time equivalent staff over four CPS Areas Office; Dyfed Powys,
North Wales, Gwent, South Wales.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Wales are in line with the UK and England.
41 30/09/2010
Skill shortages
The skills shortages in Prosecution in Wales are broadly in line with that of England.
Qualifications
Qualifications in Wales are in line with England.
42 30/09/2010
4.0 Courts & Tribunal Services
4.1 Sector Descriptionxxix
The remit of the courts and tribunal services strand of the UK Justice sector is to deliver justice
effectively and efficiently to the public. This strand has specific responsibility for providing
administration and support to the courts and tribunals throughout the UK.
Courts and Tribunals Service employs a little over 26,000 employees, with the majority in
England (80%). Approximately 3,000 employees work in Tribunal Services with the remainder
working in the administration and support to the courts. The following court and tribunal services
operate within the UK:
Her Majesty’s Court Service (England & Wales)
Scottish Court Service (Scotland)
Northern Ireland Court Service (Northern Ireland)
Tribunal Service (UK)
In England & Wales, Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) is the organisation with responsibility
for providing administration and support to the courts. It is an executive agency of the Ministry of
Justice (MoJ) with responsibility for the administration of the civil, family and criminal courts in
England and Wales (including Crown, County and Magistrates’ Courts). HMCS employs
approximately 20,400 employees across England. It aim is to:
bring offenders to justice through efficient and effective partnerships between the courts
and other criminal justice agencies;
put the public at the heart of the service so victims, witnesses and jurors feel confident in
the system;
work in partnership with the judiciary
There are 513 Crown, County and Magistrates’ courts across England with the majority located in
London, North West and the South East.
The Crown Court deals with more serious criminal cases such as murder, rape or
robbery, some of which are on appeal or referred from Magistrates' courts. Trials are
heard by a Judge and a 12 person jury.
The County Court, often referred to as the Small Claims Court deals with civil matters,
such as: Claims for debt repayment, personal injury, and family issues such as divorce or
adoption
Magistrates' courts are a key part of the criminal justice system and 95% of cases are
completed there. In addition magistrates' courts deal with many civil cases e.g. family
matters, liquor licensing and betting and gaming.
43 30/09/2010
90
Crown Courts
80 County Courts
4
Magistrates Courts
70 4
12
24
60 5
26
Number of Courts
13
50 24
3 5
3
40 2 14 13
14
3 12
30
10 52
45
20 42
38
33 33
30
27
10 22
0
North East North West Yorkshire & East West East of London South East South West
Humber Midlands Midlands England
The staff breakdown in HMCS by court / area of work for 2006/07 is illustrated in the below table.
Court / Work Area No of HMCS Staff
Magistrates’ Court 7,435
County Courts 4,533
Crown Court 2,304
Civil Appeals 67
Criminal Appeals 102
Royal Courts of Justice 1,068
Headquarters 553
Enforcement 1,027
Other offices 2,897
Total 19,986
44 30/09/2010
The Tribunals Service (TS) is the organisation with responsibility for providing administrative
support to tribunals, employing just over 2,600 staff in England. It is an executive agency of the
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and provides support to 21 central government tribunals plus the
Adjudicator to HM Land Registry and The Gender Recognition Panel (these last two are not
technically tribunals).
The tribunal jurisdictions that now constitute the Tribunals Service deal with over 500,000 cases a
year and resolve more disputes than the civil courts. Many of these disputes involve society’s
most vulnerable people, and they relate to a very diverse range of social and regulatory matters
including asylum and immigration, social security and pensions, employment, health and care,
criminal injuries compensation, and property and land.
Compared to the whole economy, those working in Courts & Tribunals are more likely to be:
Female: 69 per cent are female and 31 per cent male in the sector, compared with 54
and 46 per cent respectively across the whole economy.Error! Bookmark not
defined.Error! Bookmark not defined. The Courts sector has the highest female
workforce percentages across the Justice sector.
Higher number from ethnic groups: 88 per cent are from white ethnic groups, which is
higher that the whole economy (92 per cent)Error! Bookmark not defined.Error!
Bookmark not defined. and other Justice sector strands such as Policing & Law
Enforcement (5%) and Custodial Care (6%).
4.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Skills for Justice focus on the Courts administering the criminal justice system, as opposed to the
administration of civil proceedings.
Key Occupations Within Magistrates Court Key Occupations Within Crown Court
Legal Advisor Court Manager
Court Administration Manager (titles vary) Court Clerk
Administrative Staff Administrative Officer
Bailiff / Enforcement Officer Usher
Usher
Legal Advisor
A Legal Advisor in the Magistrates’ Court is a qualified Solicitor or Barrister. His or her role is to
ensure the effective and efficient provision of summary Justice by providing the highest quality of
legal advice to Magistrates, staff and Court users.
Legal Advisors could either have become professionally qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister before
commencing work with HM Courts Service or they could be employed by HM Courts Service as a
45 30/09/2010
trainee Solicitor / Barrister after completion of their academic and full-time vocational training. To
qualify at the academic stage, candidates normally need to complete a law degree or a degree in
another subject and then take a postgraduate law conversion course, although other ways of
qualifying do exist. At the vocational stage, solicitors follow the Legal Practice Course (LPC),
whilst barristers are required to complete a Bar Vocational Course (BVC).
HM Courts Service offers a specific scheme for trainee Solicitors /Barristers. Trainee legal
advisers undergo training for up to two years. They develop knowledge of areas such as road
traffic law and youth law. They also sit in courts, learning from more experienced legal advisers.
Legal advisers receive ongoing training to ensure that they are kept up to date with changes in
the legal system.
Magistrates' court legal advisers may progress within the magistrates' court system by
concentrating on the legal or the managerial aspects of the work. Promotion is possible to
justices' clerk or, on the managerial side, can take the form of specialisation. Specialist areas
include finance, the training of magistrates, looking after a team of magistrates' court legal
advisers, or managing the whole legal side of a court.
Court Administration Manager / Court Manager
The Court Administration Manager is responsible for the administrative functioning of the
Magistrates’ or Crown Court. A number of core and tailored courses are provided for Court
Administration Managers to develop leadership and management capability. As well as attending
training courses, some managers have the opportunity to obtain management qualifications such
as NVQ Management Level 4 or a Masters in Business Administration.
Court Clerk
The Clerk, sometimes called the ‘Associate’, looks after all the documents for the trial, and
records all the Judge’s decisions and instructions, so that they can be acted upon. The Clerk is
responsible for some of the most important formalities:
He or she reads out the ‘indictment’ (telling the defendant what he/she is charged with),
Ensures that the Jury takes a solemn oath to give a true verdict according to the
evidence and that the witnesses take a solemn oath to tell the truth.
Internal training is provided for the Court Clerk role.
Administrative Officers
Administrative staff undertake a wide range of administrative duties and make up the majority of
staff in the court office. A court administrative officer should:
Have good communication skills
Be able to work with people from a wide range of different backgrounds
Have good customer service skills
Be patient, tactful and polite
Be able to explain procedures to people with no knowledge of the court system
46 30/09/2010
Enjoy working with people.
Entry requirements vary from court to court. As a guide, candidates may need five GCSEs/S
grades (A-C/1-3) or equivalent qualifications. English is required for vacancies in HM Courts
Service. Candidates without these qualifications, but with relevant administrative experience may
also be considered. An increasing number of successful applicants have A levels/H grades or
equivalent.
New recruits are trained on the job. Some staff across HMCS were provided with the opportunity
to obtain an NVQ Level 3 in Administration, NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Customer Service, and a NVQ
Level 3 in using IT.
Experienced court administrative officers may be promoted to more senior posts. With additional
training, it may be possible to become a legal executive
Enforcement Officers
Enforcement Officers implement the Courts Act 2003 Fines Collections Scheme. They enforce
accounts in accordance with current time scales and in accordance with current policy also
ensuring that all computer reports are actioned and maintained accordingly. Amongst other
activities, they:
undertake pro-active telephone chasing against debtors
arrange and conduct Fines’ Clinics and negotiate payment with debtors
receive, complete, authorise and check means forms as required, ensuring that time to
pay requests are processed and checked accordingly
liaise with other Courts, enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in order to
maximise payment collection
No formal entry qualifications are required. Employers will look for basic numeracy and good
communication skills. They also require applicants to show that they do not have a debt or
criminal record.
Training in England and Wales is mainly on the job, although there may be opportunities to attend
short courses. There are various promotional opportunities. Civil servants may be promoted to
bailiff manager, move sideways into another Civil Service function or move into the private sector.
Ushers
Court Ushers prepare the courtrooms and help maintain order in the Court. In particular their role
includes:
Dealing with court users attending for hearings in person and on the telephone
Preparing courtrooms for daily sittings and liaising with the Magistrates, Court Legal
Advisor and Solicitors to ensure smooth running of the list.
Acting as Usher during Court hearings, calling cases on.
Although there are no formal entry qualifications, applicants generally have at least four GCSEs/S
grades (A*-C/1-3), or the equivalent, including English.
47 30/09/2010
Training is mainly on the job and usually takes about a year. A new usher shadows an
experienced usher, gradually taking on more of the duties. In the higher courts and large
magistrates' courts, an usher can be promoted to supervising usher, with responsibility for a
group of ushers. A court usher can also be promoted to the grade of administrative officer within
the Civil Service.
4.3 Information on pay scales in the sector
Ushers – £13,984 - £16,950
Court Clerk - £14,562 – £16,530
Bailiff / Enforcement Officer - £14,310 – £17,425 (County Court) £13,716 – £15,579 (Magistrates)
Administrative Officer - £15,907 - £20,135
Legal Advisor Trainee – at least £19,395
Legal Advisor - £27,153 – £39,822
4.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
To work for either the HM Court Service or Tribunal Service:
1. You must be either:
o United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland national
o Commonwealth citizen or a British protected person
o national of the European Economic Area (EEA), including Switzerland
2. You must not have been convicted of a serious offence
3. You must have the right to take up employment within the UK.
4. You must have the experience and qualifications specified in the advert
Entry requirements vary depending on the role within the Court Service. For example:
Legal Advisors are generally professionally qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister before
commencing work with HM Courts Service.
Court Managers in some cases will already have management and leadership
experience including NVQ Management Level 4 or a Masters in Business Administration.
Administrators may enter HMCS having already obtained generic administrative
qualifications and / or training in IT or customer service before entering the service. Most
posts require 5 GCSEs or equivalent (including English Language) at grade C or above
OR relevant experience.
Ushers require 2 GCSEs or equivalent including English Language at C or above OR
recent relevant administrative or customer services experience
Bailiff / Enforcement Officers have no formal entry qualifications are required.
Employers will look for basic numeracy and good communication skills and may expect a
minimum of five GCSEs/S grades (A*-C/1-3), including English and Mathematics. They
also require applicants to show that they do not have a debt or criminal record.
48 30/09/2010
Candidates with relevant experience may be preferred as this may help them deal with
difficult situations.
The Court Service does provide on the job training that is both accredited and non-accredited to
its staff once service is commenced as well as continuing professional development.
Vacancies are advertised on:
Ministry of Justice career page (http://www.justice.gov.uk/jobs/current-vacancies.htm)
HM Court Service webpage (http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/working.htm)
Tribunal Service webpage (http://www.tribunalsservice.gov.uk/Tribunals/About/about.htm)
4.5 Qualifications
The table below summaries the qualifications gained upon entry into the Court Service and in
some cases prior to joining (most relevant for Legal Advisors). It is important to note that most of
these qualifications are undertaken once a person is recruited into the organisation.
Legal Advisors are generally professionally qualified as a Solicitor or
Barrister before commencing work with HM Courts Service. Although once
Legal Advisor
one completes their LPC or BVC they could enter through the Trainee
Solicitor / Barrister Scheme.
Entrants will generally already have skills in management and leadership
and possibly qualifications in this area.
Court Managers
Some managers have the opportunity to obtain management qualifications
such as NVQ Management Level 4 or a Masters in Business Administration
during their career with HMCS / TS
Some staff across HMCS / TS were provided with the opportunity to obtain
an NVQ Level 3 in Administration, NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Customer Service,
and a NVQ Level 3 in using IT.
Administrative
Staff
Generally administrative posts require 5 GCSEs 5 GCSEs or equivalent
(including English Language) at grade C
4.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The tight spending awards set out in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review are likely to
keep growth in the public administration (this includes the judicial activities and police and fire
services) at or around 1 per cent per year for the rest of the decade. In the long term government
spending on Public Administration & Defence is expected to increase at a lower rate than the
economy as a whole. As a result, a very small decline is projected over the period to 2017. These
projections predict that by 2017:
Declines will be the administrative, clerical and secretarial group.
49 30/09/2010
Increases for managers and professional occupations.
Women are expected to continue to slowly increase their share of total employment.
Part-time working is projected to continue to increase. This sector is a popular source of
jobs for women, particularly those looking for part time employment as conditions are
favourable to such working arrangements.
Pressures to restrain government expenditure and cut costs mean increased productivity and
efficiency will be essential to the sector. A key element of the government's strategy to increase
efficiency and to direct more staff to front-line delivery of services is the efficient and effective use
of technology.
Ongoing work within HMCS and the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) since the creation
of the organisation in 2005 has focused on the 6 Core Skills areas of the Professional Skills for
Government (PSG) as the core skills of its workforce which includes: People management,
financial management, programme and project management, analysis and use of evidence,
communications and marketing, and strategic thinking.
Additionally the following skills issues have been highlighted:
Workforce planning / performance management
Coaching at senior levels / leadership and management
E-learning applications / ICT skills
Work with legal advisors
4.7 Skills shortages
Amongst general Court and Tribunal staff the following have been highlighted as skills gaps:
st
1 line management skills – ‘getting the best out of our people’
Customer service
Being able to work sensitively with victims and witnesses
Communication skills with the public and those with differing communication needs
4.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
The HMCS recruits legal trainees who have already completed the LPC or BVC to enter
the Legal Trainee Scheme to train to be Legal Advisors in Magistrates’ Court.
No sponsorship for LPC, BVC or CPE is available through the HMCS for external
applicants.
Team work is a key feature of working within the Court Service. Offices can be very busy
and you will be expected to be self motivated, and to make effective contributions to the
team effort. You will also be expected to be flexible in helping others – equally the service
is very supportive of its workforce.
New employees receive formal induction and job related training during the first few
weeks and months. Ongoing training is given as need. In some cases to meet specialist
50 30/09/2010
needs, there may be support to study for relevant professional or vocational
qualifications.
4.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Ushers
Court Clerk
Bailiff / Enforcement Officer
Administrative Officer
Court Manager
Legal Advisor
All applications must go through a standard application process through the Ministry of Justice for
both the Tribunal and HM Court Services. Legal Advisor trainees must have completed a LPC or
BVC course to enter the programme which is highly competitive. Other entrants into Legal
Advisory roles must already be qualified Barristers or Solicitors.
Roles such as administrator, ushers and clerks have internal progression pathways. Additionally
the Court Service offers both continuing professional development as well as specialist training
opportunities for specific roles.
4.10 Job Profiles
Administration Officer (Careers Advice Website)
and
Administration Officer (Connexions Website)
Court Usher (Careers Advice Website)
and
Court Usher (Connexions Website)
Legal Adviser and Trainees (Careers Advice Website)
and
Legal Adviser (Connexions Website)
Baillif/Enforcement Officer (Connexions Website)
Court Reporter (Careers Advice Website)
4.11 Case studies
Court Usher (Connexions Website)
51 30/09/2010
Legal Adviser (Connexions Website)
Section Manager (Connexions Website)
4.12 FAQs
What are the working conditions like for an administrative assistant / officer?
In a full-time job you would work 37 hours a week between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Overtime may be necessary for occasional special hearings in the evening or at the weekend, but
this is unusual. Part-time work, job sharing and flexi-time are often available.
You would be mainly office-based, but would also spend some of your time in the courtroom.
How can I become a Court Legal Advisor?
To work as a legal adviser you must be a qualified solicitor or barrister. For this, you will first need
one of the following:
an approved law degree (at least class 2:2)
a degree in any other subject (at least class 2:2) followed by the Common Professional
Examination (CPE) or the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
Fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives.
After achieving one of these, you must pass the Legal Practice Course (for solicitors) or Bar
Vocational Course (barristers) and complete a training contract to fully qualify. If you have passed
the LPC or BVC but not completed a training contract, some courts may employ you as a trainee
legal adviser.
Most courts will expect you to have recent legal practice experience. You will find it useful to have
previous experience as a magistrate, and to have customer service and administration skills. You
will also need to pass a CRB check.
Where can I progress to once I become a Court Legal Advisor?
With experience, you could be promoted to justices' clerk (responsible for running a number of
courts within an area) or become a district judge (a legally-qualified magistrate who works for an
annual salary). Alternatively, you could move into private practice as a solicitor or barrister, or join
the Crown Prosecution Service as a Crown Prosecutor or Crown Advocate.
4.13 Source of additional information
Ministry of Justice career page (http://www.justice.gov.uk/jobs/current-vacancies.htm)
HM Court Service webpage (http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/working.htm)
Tribunal Service webpage:
(http://www.tribunalsservice.gov.uk/Tribunals/About/about.htm)
Civil Service Recruitment Gateway - http://beta.civilservice.gov.uk/
52 30/09/2010
Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) - http://www.ilex.org.uk/
4.14 Regional Information
4.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 50 Courts - 33 Magistrates Courts, 3 Crown and 14 County
Courts who employ 2,780 full time equivalent staff.
For the East Midlands, over 3,500 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over
128,500 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East Midlands for Courts and
Tribunals are broadly in line with those nationally.
4.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 51 Courts - 33 Magistrates Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County
Courts who employ 1,650 full time equivalent staff.
For the East of England, over 3,000 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over
162,000 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the East of England are broadly in line
with those nationally.
4.14.3 London
London has 68 Courts - 38 Magistrates Courts, 12 Crown and 18 County Courts who
employ 5,450 full time equivalent staff.
For London, over 5,500 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over 283,000
defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the London are broadly in line with
those nationally.
North East
The North East has 32 Courts - 22 Magistrates Courts and 10 County Courts who employ
1,270 full time equivalent staff.
For the North East, just under 6,000 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over
103,700 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the North East are broadly in line with
those nationally.
4.14.5 North West
The North West has 72 Courts - 42 Magistrates Courts, 4 Crown and 26 County Courts
who employ 3,340 full time equivalent staff.
53 30/09/2010
For the North West, just over 7,000 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over
266,700 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the North West are broadly in line with
those nationally.
4.15.6 South East
The South East has 80 Courts - 52 Magistrates Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County Courts
who employ 2,570 full time equivalent staff.
For the South East, 5,957 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over 205,600
defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South East are broadly in line with
those nationally.
4.14.7 South West
The South West has 63 Courts - 45 Magistrates Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County Courts
who employ 2,570 full time equivalent staff.
For the South West, just over 2,600 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and over
136,900 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the South West are broadly in line with
those nationally.
4.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 47 Courts - 30 Magistrates Courts, 3 Crown and 14 County
Courts who employ 2,300 full time equivalent staff.
For the West Midlands, just under 5,000 people were sentenced in the Crown Court and
over 178,600 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the West Midlands are broadly in line
with those nationally.
4.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The West Midlands has 41 Courts - 27 Magistrates Courts, 2 Crown and 12 County
Courts who employ 2,280 full time equivalent staff.
For Yorkshire & Humberside, just over 4,160 people were sentenced in the Crown Court
and over 159,700 defendants were proceeded against in Magistrates’ Court in 2007-08.
The skills shortages and labour market projections in Yorkshire & Humberside are
broadly in line with of the rest of England.
4.14.10 Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Court Service (NICtS) is the organisation with
responsibility for providing administration and support to the courts. It was established in 1979 as
54 30/09/2010
a separate civil service and is the Lord Chancellor's department in Northern Ireland and currently
xxx
employs 848 staff . The purpose of the Court Service is:
To provide administrative support for the Supreme Court, county courts, magistrates’
courts, coroners’ courts and certain tribunals;
To give effect to judgments to which the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland)
Order (1981) applies;
To support the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs in
discharging their ministerial duties in Northern Ireland
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Northern Ireland are in line with the UK and England & Wales.
Skill shortages
The Northern Ireland Court Service has identified management and leadership skills and policy
skills as workforce skills issues which will need developing now and in the future.
Qualifications
Qualifications are broadly in line with that of the UK and England & Wales. Specific training is
delivered to key roles across the UK, and where formally accredited, is in line with the relevant
qualification level in that country.
4.14.11 Scotland
In Scotland, the Scottish Court Service (SCS) is the organisation with responsibility for providing
xxxi
administration and support to the courts. It employs 1,400 people. It is an Executive Agency
responsible for administration of the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary and the Sheriff
Courts. SCS is responsible for the administrative staff dealing with the day to day work of the
courts and associated offices. The aim of the Agency is to help secure ready access to justice for
the people of Scotland. To achieve that aim the Agency has the following objectives:
to provide the staff and services required to meet the needs of the Judiciary and court
users;
to provide court houses of appropriate size and quality;
to implement and develop the Justice Charter for Scotland and the Scottish Court Service
Statement of Charter Standards;
To secure value for money, and to manage the Agency's resources efficiently, effectively,
and with due regard to value for money.
There are 220 people working to support the Tribunals Service in Scotland.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Scotland are in line with the UK and England & Wales.
55 30/09/2010
Skill shortages
While the Scottish Court Service has headlined the following areas of their workforce which need
developing over the next three years:
Increased partnership working
Leadership and management
Keeping up with legislative change
ICT and soft skills related to communications
Recruitment process
Attracting quality and job ready recruits
Qualifications
Qualifications are broadly in line with that of the UK and England & Wales. Specific training is
delivered to key roles across the UK, and where formally accredited, is in line with the relevant
qualification level in that country.
4.14.12 Wales
In Wales, Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) is the organisation with responsibility for
providing administration and support to the courts. It is an executive agency of the Ministry of
Justice (MoJ) with responsibility for the administration of the civil, family and criminal courts in
England and Wales (including Crown, County and Magistrates’ Courts). HMCS employs
xxxii
approximately 1,120 employees across in Wales. Its aim is to:
bring offenders to justice through efficient and effective partnerships between the courts
and other criminal justice agencies;
put the public at the heart of the service so victims, witnesses and jurors feel confident in
the system;
Work in partnership with the judiciary.
The Tribunal Service has 140 people working to support tribunals in Wales.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Wales are in line with the UK and England.
Skill shortages
The skills shortages in Wales are broadly in line with that of England.
Qualifications
Qualifications in Wales are in line with England.
56 30/09/2010
5.0 Forensic Science
5.1 Sector Description
Employment in the Forensic Science Sector has grown at an unprecedented rate over
the last ten years, due largely to advances in technology such as the National DNA
Database, and an increased reliance on forensic techniques by police forces for minor
crimes.
Forensic science organisations aid investigative and criminal justice processes across
the United Kingdom Justice sector. The majority of staff working in the UK Forensic
Science industry work within police forces.
Types of Employing Organisations in Forensic Science strand
Police Forces
Private Sector
38%
62%
Across both police forces and private sector, the forensic science industry employs over
8,947xxxiii employees across the UK. The majority of staff work in England (85%).
The private forensic science sector consists of organisations which are either:
Non-departmental government bodies
Commercial providers
The non-department government bodies / executive agencies include the Forensic
Science Service Northern Ireland (FSNI) and the Scottish Police Services Authority
(SPSA) Forensic in Scotland.
The commercial element of the Forensic Science industry has two large service
providers and several smaller organisations. The 2 main commercial organisations,
based within England & Wales are:
The Forensic Science Service (sites in England & Wales)
57 30/09/2010
LGC Forensics (sites in England Only)
The smaller commercial providers, whose size spans from 9 to 184 employees in size,
offer a wide variety of services and in some cases specialize in particular areas of
forensic science such as document examination, DNA, or firearms. The areas of forensic
science covered by these organisations can include the following:
Property crime - providing support in the investigation of burglary, fraud,
robbery, fire investigation, theft of vehicles and theft from vehicles offences.
Serious crime - providing support in the investigation of murder, suspicious
death, sexual offences and other serious offences against the person
Drugs - providing intelligence in the investigation of a range of drug-related
offences including supply, possession, importation and exportation, production
and cultivation
Road policing - providing support for drink and drug driving offences and
accident investigation
Organised crime - providing support to police, HM Revenue & Customs and the
National Crime Squad, including investigation of terrorism
International crime - providing support to the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, British Council and overseas law enforcement agencies
Hi-tech crime - providing support in the investigation of computer or electronic
related crime and fraud
Commercial - development and supply of DNA expert systems software,
provision of a range of evidence recovery kits and packaging, plus paternity
testing services
The services offered by either police forces or non-departmental government bodies /
commercial providers include:
Scene Examination
Chemistry
Biology
DNA
Drugs
Fingerprints
Specialist Services - toxicology, firearms, documents and handwriting analysis
Compared to the whole economy, those working in Forensic Science are more likely to be:
58 30/09/2010
xxxiv
Female: 59 per cent are female and 41 per cent male in the sector , compared with 54 and 46
per cent respectively across the whole economy; and
Higher number from ethnic groups: 89 per cent are from white ethnic groups, which is higher
that the whole economy (92 per cent) and other Justice sector strands such as Policing & Law
Enforcement (5%) and Custodial Care (6%).
5.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCO) / Crime Scene Examiners
Police forces employ civilians as Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCOs) who work with police in the
investigation of serious crime. They are sometimes called Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) or
Crime Scene Examiners. They are usually civilians but in some police forces may be police
officers in uniform or plain clothes.
They are among the first to arrive at a crime scene and their job is to retrieve, examine and
investigate physical evidence that may help to trace and convict criminals. They determine from
the crime scene whether assistance from specialists, such as a forensic scientist, is needed.
In some police forces you will start as an assistant scenes of crime officer (or volume crime scene
examiner), and may attend a three-week basic training course at National Police Improvement
Agency, and then take a four-week conversion course to become a SOCO after gaining some
experience. There are opportunities for further study for SOCOs to progress forensic scientist or
management posts.
Assistant Forensic Scientist
While you can become an assistant forensic scientist with at least one A level/Advanced Higher
or two Highers in science subjects, you would need a good honours degree in a relevant subject
in order to become a forensic scientist and progress to senior level.
Once you are in post, you could study on a part-time or distance learning basis for a relevant
degree to work towards being a forensic scientist. The term forensic scientist usually refers to
degree holders only, so progression beyond the role of an assistant forensic scientist is not
possible without a degree or with an HND only.
The largest commercial provider, Forensic Science Service (FSS), has a promotion structure from
assistant forensic scientist to forensic scientist, and then to senior forensic scientist. Apart from
the FSS, most employers in England and Wales are small, with limited opportunities for
promotion.
Trainee Forensic Scientist / Forensic Scientist
Forensic scientists locate, examine and prepare traces of physical evidence for use in courts of
law. They use the principles of biology, chemistry and Mathematics to obtain and analyse
evidence from a variety of sources, including blood and other body fluids, hairs, textile fibres,
glass fragments and tyre marks.
59 30/09/2010
As a forensic scientist, the main focus of your work would be looking for evidence to link a
suspect with a crime scene. However, your duties could vary depending on your specialism and
may include some or all of the following:
Blood grouping and DNA profiling
Analysing fluid and tissue samples for traces of drugs and poisons
Identifying, comparing and matching various materials
Examining splash patterns and the distribution of particles
Analysing handwriting, signatures, ink and paper (known as questioned documents)
Providing expert advice on explosives, firearms and ballistics
Researching and developing new technologies
Recovering data from computers, mobile phones and other electronic equipment (known
as 'electronic casework')
Attending crime scenes, such as a murder or fire
Giving impartial scientific evidence in court (if you have been trained as a 'reporting
officer')
Supervising assistant forensic scientists in the lab.
Most forensic scientists enter the sector as trainees and receive on-the-job training from
experienced scientists. This would usually combine in-house courses with practical casework.
Forensic scientist could go on to take further specialist qualifications, for example the Forensic
Science Society diploma course, in an area such as crime scene investigation, document
examination, fire investigation, firearms examination and forensic imaging.
5.3 Information on pay scales in the sectorxxxv
Assistant SOCO and Volume Crime Scene examiners start around £16,000
SOCOs earn around £17,000 and £26,000
Senior SOCO earn £26,000 to £30,000
Starting salaries for trainee forensic scientists typically range from £16,000 to £20,000.
With experience Forensic Scientist salaries range from £25,000 - £30,000.
Typical salaries at senior forensic scientist levels: £45,000+
5.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
Entry as an assistant forensic scientist requires A levels/H grades or the equivalent in science
subjects. However, as entry is keen, most have degrees. It is not unusual for graduates to enter
the FSS as assistant forensic scientists.
Trainee forensic scientists are likely to need an Honours degree (2:2 or above) in a biology or
chemistry-related subject. It is important to check details with potential employers because not all
science-based subjects provide the right level of knowledge needed for the job. You may be in
competition with candidates with postgraduate qualifications. Whilst there has been a major
60 30/09/2010
increase in the number of forensic science undergraduate degree courses, not all of them provide
the skills and knowledge required to work as a forensic scientist - check details with individual
course providers.
Direct entry as a forensic scientist is with a degree in a mathematical or science subject, or an
equivalent professional qualification. A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is increasingly
desirable as competition is intense. A relevant PhD or MSc, for example in forensic science, can
be an advantage in short listing for interview.
In the Autumn of 2009 Skills for Justice produced a report into the state of Forensic Science
courses within Higher Education. See the following link:
Forensic Science HE Report.
(http://www.skillsforjustice.com/strand.asp?PageID=516)
To work with the Forensic Science Service, you will also need to be a citizen of the UK, EU, EEA
or Commonwealth, and have been resident in the UK for at least three years. See the FSS
website for more details about recruitment.
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
A persistent approach and enquiring mind;
Capacity to undertake fine, analytical, painstaking work with attention to detail;
A logical, unbiased and methodical approach to problem solving;
Ability to work well in a team, as well as independently;
Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to communicate scientific
information to lay persons.
Good colour vision is required by some labs. A criminal record or history of drink/drug
problems could result in exclusion.
Whilst employment within forensic science has increased dramatically over the last ten years,
entry remains extremely competitive.
Entry requirements for Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCO) vary between police forces. You may be
accepted with a minimum of three to five GCSEs (A-C) or the equivalent, preferably including
English, Mathematics and a science subject. However, forces often ask for A levels (or equivalent
qualifications) and some will expect you to have a degree in a science-related subject. You
should check with the force in the area where you want to work, see the Could You? Police
website for contact details.
All police forces will carry out a check of your background and employment history. A criminal
record may not always prevent you from being employed in the police service, but you must
declare any convictions. Applicants will need normal colour vision, and will usually need a driving
licence. Applicants would need to show that they have scientific ability, either from qualifications
or experience. Qualifications or experience in photography can also be useful, and may be
essential for some forces. It may be an advantage when looking for work if you have experience
of dealing with the public and working in sensitive situations.
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5.5 Qualifications
The table below summaries the qualifications need to gain entry into the forensic science sector.
Entry requirements vary between police forces. You may be accepted
with a minimum of three to five GCSEs (A-C) or the equivalent,
preferably including English, Mathematics and a science subject.
Scenes of Crime Officer However, forces often ask for A levels (or equivalent qualifications)
(SOCO) and some will expect you to have a degree in a science-related
subject.
A levels/H grades or the equivalent in science subjects. However, as
Assistant Forensic entry is keen, most have degrees
scientist
Honours degree (2:2 or above) in a biology or chemistry-related
subject. It is important to check details with potential employers
Trainee Forensic because not all science-based subjects provide the right level of
Scientist knowledge needed for the job. You may be in competition with
candidates with postgraduate qualifications
Degree in a mathematical or science subject, or an equivalent
professional qualification. A postgraduate qualification is increasingly
Forensic Scientist desirable as competition is intense. A relevant PhD or MSc, for
example in forensic science, can be an advantage.
5.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The tight spending awards set out in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review are likely to
keep growth in the public administration (this includes the judicial activities and police and fire
services) at or around 1 per cent per year for the rest of the decade. In the long term government
spending on Public Administration & Defence is expected to increase at a lower rate than the
economy as a whole. As a result, a very small decline is projected over the period to 2017. These
projections predict that by 2017:
Declines will be the administrative, clerical and secretarial group.
Increases for managers and professional occupations.
Women are expected to continue to slowly increase their share of total employment.
Part-time working is projected to continue to increase. This sector is a popular source of
jobs for women, particularly those looking for part time employment as conditions are
favourable to such working arrangements.
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Pressures to restrain government expenditure and cut costs mean increased productivity and
efficiency will be essential to the sector. A key element of the government's strategy to increase
efficiency and to direct more staff to front-line delivery of services is the efficient and effective use
of technology.
In Autumn 2009 the government announced FSS would close three of its main labs with the loss
th
of 700 jobs. See BBC website article : 'Dangers' of a free market in forensic science’ from 8
December 209: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8400097.stm
5.7 Skills shortages
Within the initial recruits, employers have stated that the following skills gaps:
A lack of depth to basic scientific knowledge
Poor basic scientific technique
Poor communication skills
Poor attitudes towards workplace professionalism
Inadequate understanding of the importance of integrity of evidence; and
Poor IT skills
5.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
Skills and knowledge needed by SOCOs include:
Methodical and patient approach
Exceptional attention to detail
Keen observational skills
Ability to record and report information accurately, both in speech and in writing
Team working skills
Ability to remain calm in unpleasant and distressing situations
An understanding of the need for confidentiality
A good level of physical fitness
Ability to use computers and scientific equipment
Once you start work as a SOCO, you may then attend the Initial Crime Scene Investigator
Training Course at the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in County Durham. This is
a residential course and lasts for nine weeks. When you have successfully completed your initial
training you will complete a one- to two-year development programme. Following this on-the-job
training period you will attend a further two-week course, covering skills and techniques in more
detail.
Once you have completed your training (or have five years’ experience as a SOCO) you can
study for the University of Durham Diploma in Crime Scene Investigation. This is offered by NPIA
in partnership with the University, and is studied by open learning. During your career as a SOCO
63 30/09/2010
your employer will usually expect you to attend two-week NPIA courses every five years, to
review and refresh your knowledge and skills, and to keep up to date with new developments.
Skills and knowledge needed by Trainee/ Forensic Scientists include:
An enquiring mind
A logical and analytical approach
Patience and concentration
Highly-developed observational and scientific skills
Objectivity and personal integrity
High degree of accuracy and attention to detail
Confidence to justify your findings when challenged
Strong written and spoken communication skills
Ability to work alone and in a team
Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
As a trainee forensic scientist, you would receive on-the-job training from experienced scientists.
This would usually combine in-house courses with practical casework.
If you join the Forensic Science Service (FSS) as a trainee forensic scientist or reporting officer,
your training would take around 18 months and lead to a forensic scientist post.
You could go on to take further specialist qualifications, for example the Forensic Science Society
diploma course, in an area such as crime scene investigation, document examination, fire
investigation, firearms examination and forensic imaging.
5.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Scenes of Crime Officers
Assistant Forensic Scientist
Trainee Forensic Scientist
Forensic Scientist
Competition is fierce in all points of entry therefore a minimum of an honours degree and in some
cases postgraduate qualifications are needed for entry. Additionally vacancies in the Police and
Forensic Science Service are open only to citizens of the UK, EU, EEA or Commonwealth, and
have been resident in the UK for at least three years.
5.10 Job Profiles
Forensic Scientist -
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile595/
Scenes of Crime Officers
64 30/09/2010
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile1060/
Crime Scene Investigator – Scene of Crime Officer:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Forensic Computer Analyst:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
&
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/
Forensic Psychologist: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
5.11 Case studies
Senior Forensic Scientist -
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/forensic_scientist_case_1.jsp
Forensic Scientist
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/forensic_scientist_case_2.jsp
Scenes of Crime Officer
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/A%20day%20in%20the%20life%20-
%20The%20Standard%205.pdf
& http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Digital Evidence Investigator: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Forensic Computer Analyst: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Forensic Drug Analyst: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Trainee Forensic Psychologist: http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
5.12 FAQs
What subjects should I study at school if I want to become a Forensic Scientist?
It is best to study science courses if you want to be a scientist so we recommend that you take
core science courses at school; mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics are all important.
The use of statistics is also crucial in the understanding and use of forensic science.
What subject should I study at University if I want to become a Forensic Scientist? There
are many Universities that offer Forensic Science courses and Forensic Science as part of a
wider Science degree. Many of these courses are not accredited by a professional body or Sector
Skills Council. The best courses are those that have been recognised by Skillsmark| (the Justice
sector quality mark we have developed in partnership with Justice sector employers).
65 30/09/2010
Have a look at the Skillsmark| and Forensic Science Society| websites to see what Universities
and courses are accredited by us and the Forensic Science Society. The Royal Society of
Chemistry| also accredits Forensic Science degrees.
Can I get some work experience at a Forensic Science service provider?
Unfortunately due to security implications, work placements and experience is not available at
Forensic Science service providers.
5.13 Source of additional information:
Forensic Careers: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/forensic_careers/home
Forensic Science Service - http://www.forensic.gov.uk/
LGC Forensics - http://www.lgc.co.uk/divisions/lgc_forensics.aspx
British Transport Police - http://www.btp.police.uk
National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) - http://www.npia.police.uk
Police serviceRecruitment - http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk
The Forensic Science Society - http://www.forensic-science-society.org.uk/
Skills for Justice (SSC) - http://www.skillsforjustice.com/template01.asp?pageid=589
Home Office - http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/
British Academy of Forensic Sciences (BAFS) - http://www.bafs.org.uk/cgi-
bin/somsid.cgi?page=index
Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) - www.crfp.org.uk/
5.14 Regional Informationxxxvi
5.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 5 police forces that employ approximately 360 full time equivalent forensic
staff across five forces:
Derbyshire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
There are no commercial forensic science providers in the East Midlands. Skills shortages and
labour market projections in the region are broadly in line with those nationally.
66 30/09/2010
5.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 6 police forces that employ nearly 500 full time equivalent forensic staff
across six forces:
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Essex
Hertsfordshire
Norfolk
Suffolk
Commercial providers in the area include the Forensic Science Service and Keith Borer
Consultants Ltd. Skills shortages and labour market projections in the region are broadly in line
with those nationally.
5.14.3 London
London has 2 police forces that employ over 1,000 full time equivalent forensic staff across two
forces:
City of London
Metropolitan Police Service
Commercial providers in the region include:
Forensic Science Service
LGC Forensics
Berkeley Security Bureau (Forensic) Ltd
Scientifics Ltd.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in London are broadly in line with those nationally.
5.14.4 North East
The North East has 3 police forces that employ over 200 full time equivalent forensic staff across
three forces:
Cleveland
Durham
Northumbria
Commercial providers in the region include:
Forensic Science Service
Keith Borer Consultants Ltd
Scientifics Ltd
67 30/09/2010
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
5.14.5 North West
The North West has 5 police forces that employ nearly 650 full time equivalent forensic science
staff across five forces:
Cheshire
Cumbria
Greater Manchester
Lancashire
Merseyside
Commercial providers in the region include:
Forensic Science Service (3 locations)
LGC Forensics Ltd (2 locations)
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
5.14.6 South East
The South East has 5 police forces that employ over 600 full time equivalent forensic science
staff across five forces:
Hampshire
Kent
Surrey
Sussex
Thames Valley
Commercial providers in the region include:
LGC Forensics Ltd
Orchid Cellmark Ltd
M-Scan Ltd
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
5.14.7 South West
The South West has 5 police forces that employ nearly 400 full time equivalent forensic science
staff across five forces:
Avon & Somerset
68 30/09/2010
Devon & Cornwall
Dorset
Gloucestershire
Wiltshire
Commercial providers in the region include:
Mass Spec Analytical Ltd
Scientifics Ltd (3 locations)
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
5.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 4 police forces that employ nearly 400 full time equivalent forensic
science staff across four forces:
Staffordshire
Warwickshire
West Midlands
West Mercia
Commercial providers in the region include:
Forensic Science Service (4 Locations)
LGC Forensics Ltd
Key Forensic Services Limited
Document Evidence Ltd
Scientifics Ltd
Skills shortages in this region are broadly in line with those nationally.
5.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The Yorkshire & Humberside has 4 police forces that employ nearly 600 full time equivalent
forensic science staff across four forces:
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
Humberside
West Yorkshire
Commercial providers in the region include:
Forensic Science Service (2 Locations)
LGC Forensics Ltd
69 30/09/2010
Key Forensic Services Limited
Central Science Laboratory (CSL)
Scientifics Ltd (2 Locations)
The skills shortages and labour market projections in region are broadly in line with of the rest of
England.
5.14.10 Northern Ireland
Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI) is an Executive Agency within the Northern
Ireland Office and is the main forensic science employer in Northern Ireland. They offer a
full range of Forensic Science services to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
and to wider customers.
Approximately 225 forensic science staff are employed across Northern Ireland working for either
executive agencies or commercial providers. The number of forensic science staff working within
Police Service Northern Ireland is not known at this time.
Geographical area of Organisations
operation
Statutory Providers Commercial Providers
Forensic Science Northern
Eurofins Forensic Science
Ireland
UK (England & Northern
Northern Ireland Police Service Northern
Ireland)
Ireland (PSNI) Scientific
Randox Laboratories Ltd
Support
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Northern Ireland are in line with the UK and England & Wales.
Skill shortages
The skills shortages in Northern Ireland are broadly in line with those in the UK.
Qualifications
The qualifications in Northern Ireland are broadly in line with those in the UK. It is the norm that
those operating in Forensic Science are qualified to degree level or working towards a higher
level qualification. Some entry level positions may not require higher level qualifications but this
varies across the strand and it is best to check with individual forces and service providers.
5.14.11 Scotland
The main employer in Scotland is Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) Forensics is a non-
departmental government body, launched on 1 April 2007, which pulled together forensic and
fingerprint capability and scene examiners, integrating all the forensic science services in
Scotland. SPSA Forensics offers forensic science services from the crime scene to court for
police forces and the Crown Office of the Procurator Fiscal.
70 30/09/2010
Approximately 550 forensic science staff are employed across Scotland working for either non-
departmental government bodies or commercial providers. The commercial provider Scientifics
Ltd has offices in both Scotland and England.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Scotland are broadly in line with the UK.
Skill shortages
The skills shortages in Scotland are broadly in line with the UK.
Qualifications
The qualifications in Scotland are broadly in line with those in the UK. It is the norm that those
operating in Forensic Science are qualified to degree level or working towards a higher level
qualification. Some entry level positions may not require higher level qualifications but this varies
across the strand and it is best to check with individual forces and service providers.
5.14.12 Wales
Like England, forensic science services are delivered in Wales by the four police forces (259
forensic science staff) and the commercial provider, Forensic Science Service (173 full time
equivalent staff).
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Forecast and trends in Wales are in line with England.
Skill shortages
Skills shortages in Wales are in line those in England.
Qualifications
The qualifications in Wales are broadly in line with those in the UK. It is the norm that those
operating in Forensic Science are qualified to degree level or working towards a higher level
qualification. Some entry level positions may not require higher level qualifications but this varies
across the strand and it is best to check with individual forces and service providers.
71 30/09/2010
6.0 Custodial Care
6.1 Sector Description
The main functions of the custodial care strand within the United Kingdom Justice sector are:
Holding adult and young prisoners securely;
Reducing the risk of prisoners re-offending;
Providing custody and escort services;
Monitoring offenders in the community (e.g. via electronic tagging)
The majority of prisons in the UK are operated by public sector Prison Services (Her Majesty’s,
Scottish, and Northern Ireland Prison Services), although some of these services contract with
the private sector for the design, build, management and finance of private prisons.
Public sector organisations make up the majority of custodial care employers, employing over
xxxvii
86% of the 77,595 strong workforce. England is the home of the majority of the workforce
(84%).
Public vs Private Sector Prison Establishments
Public sector
27% Private sector
73%
72 30/09/2010
Geographical area of Public Sector Organisations Private Sector Organisations
operation
Global Solutions Ltd
Serco Home Affairs
HM Prison Service Group 4 Securicor (G4S)
England & Wales Military Corrective The Cares Group
Training Centre
Kalyx
Reliance Secure Task
Management
Scottish Prison Serco Home Affairs
Scotland
Service Kalyx
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Prison Service
The custodial care strand is similar across the UK, with a concentration of larger organisations.
There are approximately 248 prison establishments across the UK. The different types of prison
establishments include:
Adult male prisons,
Adult female prisons,
High security prisons,
Immigration removal centres
Youth offending institutions and secure training centres.
Some establishments are split sites providing facilities for both women prisoners and
young offenders / juveniles.
Compared to the whole economy, those working in Custodial Care are more likely to be:
xxxviii
Male: 63 per cent are male and 37 per cent female in the sector , compared with 54
and 46 per cent respectively across the whole economy.
xxxix
From white ethnic groups: 94 per cent are from white ethnic groups, which is higher
that the whole economy (92 per cent). There were 6.3% minority ethnic staff in English
xl
public prisons in 2008/09.
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6.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Prison officer, specialist support staff and operational support staff are three types of roles
available in the custodial setting.
Prison Officers are called upon to build up and maintain close relationships with those in their
charge. Prison Officers are expected to undertake varied duties and tasks, such as:
Carrying out security checks and searching procedures
Supervising prisoners, keeping account of prisoners in your charge and maintaining order
Employing authorised physical control and restraint procedures where appropriate
Taking care of prisoners and their property, taking account of their rights and dignity.
Providing appropriate care and support for prisoners at risk of self harm
Promoting Anti-Bullying and suicide prevention policies
Taking an active part in rehabilitation programmes for prisoners
Assessing and advising prisoners, using your own experiences and integrity
Writing fair and perceptive reports on prisoners.
With around two years' experience, you could progress to senior prison officer (this is decided by
application, examination and interview). You could then go on to gain promotion through the
governor grades. In the HM Prison Service there is an Intensive Development Scheme for
graduates (NOMS Graduate programme), which offers early progression to senior grades.
Once appointed there are opportunities to move into more specialist roles such as physical
educational instructor or dog handler.
Specialist prison service staff roles include:
Instructional Officers
Health Care roles
Chaplaincy roles
Psychologists and Psychological assistants
Catering
Construction & technical training
ICT
Administration
Physical Education roles.
Many of these staff are required to have a qualification / training in their vocational area before
entering the prison service. There are pathways to enter into junior / trainee roles and progress
upwards to more senior and managerial roles.
Operational support roles include:
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Patrolling
Ground staff
Store duties
Drivers and navigators
Switchboard staff
Canteen staff.
There are pathways to enter into junior / trainee roles and progress upwards to more senior and
managerial roles
6.3 Information on pay scales in the sector
Administrative roles - £10,000 - £20,000
Operational manager roles - £20,000 - £30,000
Nurses - £20,000 - £30,000
Psychologist - £20,000 - £30,000
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Prison Officers salaries in range from £18,135 to £28,136 . Local pay allowances may
also apply, ranging from £4,250 in central London to £1,100 in surrounding areas.
Salaries at higher levels include:
o Senior officer, £29,371
o Principal officer, £30,926 - £31,913
o Manager (G-E), £23,434 - £43,927
o Senior manager (D-A), £44,589 - £78,732
6.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
Prison Officer
Entry requirements for Her Majesty’s Prison Service as Prison Officer include.
Must be between 18 and up to 62 years of age.
You must not be an undischarged bankrupt.
If your vision is corrected it must meet Snellen 6/12 or better in each eye.
You must be a British or Commonwealth Citizen, a British Protected Person, an EU
national or a national of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland. Some EU family
members, who are not themselves EU members, may also qualify. All candidates must
be free from immigration control and indefinite leave to remain in the UK. For some posts
candidates may be required to have been resident in the UK for 3 years.
You must not be a member of a group or organisation that the Prison Service considers
to be racist.
You will be required to pass a medical examination and a fitness test.
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The Prison Service operates a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled people (as
defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) who meet the minimum criteria for
appointment.
You will be subject to a criminal records check
The application process is as follows:
1. Apply online through the website
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/
2. If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements then you will be sent an on line
Prison Officer Selection Test (POST). You must complete this test on your own
and within 7 days of receiving it. The POST is in two parts and consists of
numerical and language tests, comprising of a number of work sample exercises.
You will not require any prior knowledge of prison work in order to undertake the
self-assessment test. The numerical test will be taken first with the language test
will taken at the next stage (see below).
3. If successful with the on line numerical POST test stage, you will be invited to
attend the Recruitment Assessment Day (RAD) for the next stage of the selection
process. The RAD is designed to measure a number of different skills and will
consist of;
4 role-play simulations, each lasting a maximum of 10 minutes. The role-
play simulations are all non-prison based, however they are similar to
situations that prison officers would be expected to deal with
An interview which will test your motivations for the role
The language POST test (see above)
A medical
A vetting check on paperwork
4. If you are successful at the RAD then we will start completing the vetting checks
on the forms that you have provided at the RAD centre.
5. Candidates who successfully pass both the RAD process and the medical will
then be offered an appointment subject to satisfactory completion of pre-
appointment checks into health, identity, nationality and character, including a
criminal record check, before any appointment can be confirmed. On average
these checks will take between 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
You may have an advantage if you have experience of working in the police or armed forces, or
as a security officer or probation officer.
Specialist Support Staff
Specialist support staff employed by the prison service vary greatly; from psychologist, health
care to catering and ICT. The best route of entry is to contact Her Majesty’s Prison Service
(http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/) to discuss the opportunities available.
Qualifications and entry requirements may differ for each role.
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Operational Support Grades
Basic entry requirements are:
Must be under 65 years of age.
You must not be an undischarged bankrupt.
You must be a British or Commonwealth Citizen, a British Protected Person, an EU
national or a national of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland. Some EU family
members, who are not themselves EU members, may also qualify. All candidates must
be free from immigration control and indefinite leave to remain in the UK. For some posts
candidates may be required to have been resident in the UK for 3 years.
You must not be a member of a group or organisation that the Prison Service considers
to be racist.
You will be subject to a criminal records check
Government policy requires all new appointees to certain posts in the criminal justice
system to declare whether or not they are Freemasons. This policy applies to all Prison
Service posts. Any offer of appointment will therefore be conditional upon you completing
a declaration about whether or not you are a Freemason
As with the specialist support staff roles, operational support grades are many and varied. The
best route of entry is to contact Her Majesty’s Prison Service
(http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/) to discuss the opportunities available.
Qualifications and entry requirement may differ for each role.
6.5 Qualifications
. Prison Officers need to be occupationally competent to perform assigned duties and establish
reliable and safe working practices. The Prison Service requires staff to demonstrate this by
achieving the Custodial Care NVQ (CCNVQ) Level 3.
All newly recruited prison officers will be required to complete CCNVQ within 12 months of
starting their employment as a prison officer.
6.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Prison establishments across the country face a challenge with the introduction of the
National Offender Management System (NOMS) This system was introduced to bridge
the gap between custody and community in terms of the management of offenders, and
also to move towards a model of commissioning of services to provide the highest quality
correctional services and interventions in order to protect the public and reduce re-
offending.
The prison population has leapt over the past decade to an all-time high with more than
xlii
84,000 prisoners behind bars. In a statement to the House on 27 April 2009 the
Secretary of State announced the abandonment of the Titan prison-building programme.
Instead, it is proposed that 7,500 prison places will be delivered through the building of
xliii
five 1,500 place prisons.
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Any predicted growth in the sector, in terms of more prisons, will have an impact on the
workforce, and this is likely to impact most on private custodial providers.
6.7 Skills shortages
The following skills shortages have been identified:
Leadership and Management - with specific reference to skills around managing
contracts and competitive tendering. Prisons supply a relatively unique service within the
geographical area, but establishments will be involved in putting other services out to
tender such as through care, rehabilitation and resettlement services.
ICT - ICT skills were highlighted as a development area with the introduction of bespoke
packages such as OASys and NOMIS to communicate relevant information on
individuals.
Communication skills and case preparation skills are essential as the quality of
information presented needs to be considered not simply proficiency at using
programmes.
6.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
The skills and knowledge needed by Prison Officer include:
Ability to create good working relationships with people from all walks of life
An open mind, with the ability to act fairly in disputes
Patience, understanding and a commitment to helping people
Ability to work in a structured environment where rules and discipline apply
Ability to stay calm, assess a situation, and make quick decisions
Ability to cope with pressure
Good team working skills
A firm but fair approach
Ability to exercise authority with prisoners who are abusive and possibly violent.
All newly recruited prison officers undertake an 8-week training course at the beginning of their
appointment and will be required to complete CCNVQ within 12 months of starting their
employment as a prison officer. Once appointed there are opportunities to move into more
specialist roles such as physical educational instructor or dog handler
HM Prison Service previously ran an Intensive Development Scheme (IDS), a graduate and
internal fast track entry scheme to attract future managers. Successful IDS applicants could
expect to reach middle management level within three to three and a half years. This scheme had
been suspended and after a period of consultation, HMPS has launched a new fast track scheme
in Autumn 2009 called NOMS Graduate programme..
In HMPS, recruitment is carried out by individual prisons. Jobs are advertised in Jobcentres, the
local press and through the prison service website:
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/
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Specialist support staff and operational support grades in the prison service vary widely and there
are multiple points of entry, skills and qualifications across the gambit of jobs. By visiting
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/ one can find the variety of support jobs
available in prison service across:
6.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Prison Officer
Specialist Prison Service Staff
Operational Support Grades
Prisoner Officer applicants may have an advantage if they have experience of working in the
police or armed forces, or as a security officer or probation officer. Additionally graduates can
enter into a fast track scheme to senior officer / middle management level.
Regardless of whether you enter from outside the Justice sector or another Justice sector related
occupation all entrants into the above roles must go through a standard application process,
followed by on the job training ranging from a few weeks to three years.
Both specialist and operational staff jobs are numerous and varied with many different points of
entry from another sector.
6.10 Job Profiles
Prison Officer
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile175/
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/prison_officer_job_description.jsp
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/
Senior Officers / Senior Managers
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile218/
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/prison_governor_job_description.jsp
Administration
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/administration/
Managerial
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/managerial/
Psychologist
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/psychologist/
Healthcare
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/healthcare/
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Chaplaincy
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/chaplaincy/
Operational Support
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/typeswork/operationalsupport/
6.11 Case studies
HM Prison Service website, http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/, contains written
cases studies of various staff. Also Trainee prison service manager -
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/prison_officer_case_1.jsp
6.12 FAQs
What does being a prison officer involve?
You are responsible for security, making sure prisoners keep to the rules, calming tensions, and
dealing with difficult and challenging behaviour. But there's much more to it than that.
You'll be working to change people: to show them there's a better way of life than the one that led
them to prison. Establishing positive relationships with people like this calls for understanding,
patience and an open mind. As well as showing different sides of your character, you'll do
different types of work. Supervising and taking care of prisoners is part of every Prison Officers'
day, but there's a whole range of other responsibilities you could take on too. However your
career develops, it will always be varied and always offer you opportunities to move forward and
help prisoners improve their lives.
How do I apply to be a prison officer?
If working for the public sector, you can apply on line through the website
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs. If applying to work in the private sector,
check out the vacancy web pages of the various private organisations (see below)
6.13 Source of additional information
http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/ provides information on the types of
jobs available in the Prison Service and current vacancies. As well as outlining what the
Prison Service has to offer, including a detailed list of benefits, the site outlines the
minimum eligibility requirements, the role and duties of a prison officer, the process of
becoming a prison officer, how to apply and current vacancies. It has a handy job alert
sign-up to receive notifications when jobs are advertised.
Skills for Justice (SSC) - http://www.skillsforjustice.com/template01.asp?pageid=589
Prison Officers Association - http://www.poauk.org.uk/
Premier Custodial Group (private sector) - http://www.serco.com/
Reliance Custodial Services (private sector) - http://www.reliancesecurity.co.uk/
The Cares Group (private sector) - http://www.cares.co.uk/
Group 4 Securicor (private sector) - http://www.g4s.com/
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UKDS (private sector) - http://www.ukds.info/
Kalyx (private sector) - http://www.kalyxservices.com/
Prison Officer Discussion Board - http://prisonofficer.org.uk/
6.14 Regional Information
6.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 15 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 4,730 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP North Sea Camp (Boston),
HMP Foston Hall (Derby),
HMP Sudbury (Derbyshire),
HMP YOI Glen Parva (Leicester)
HMP Leicester (Leicester)
HMP Morton Hall (Lincoln)
HMP Lincoln (Lincoln)
HMP Gartree (Market Harborough)
HMP Lowdham Grange (Nottingham)
HMP Whatton (Nottingham)
HMP Nottingham (Nottingham)
HMP Ranby (Retford),
HMP Onley (Rugby),
HMP Ashwell (Rutland)
HMP Stocken (Rutland)
HMP Wellingborough (Wellingborough).
In addition there is one private prison, HMP Lowdham Grange (Nottingham) operated by Serco
Home Affairs. Skills shortages and labour market projections in the region are broadly in line with
those nationally.
6.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 13 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 4,440 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP Bedford
HMP Blundeston (Lowestoft, Suffolk)
HMP & YOI Bullwood Hall (Hockley, Essex)
HMP & YOI Chelmsford
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HMP Edmunds Hill (Suffolk)
HMP Highpoint (Suffolk)
HMP Hollsley Bay (Suffolk)
HMP Littlehey (Cambridgeshire)
HMP & YOI Norwich
HMP YOI The Mount
HMP YOI Warren Hill (Suffolk)
HMP Wayland (Norfolk)
HMP Whitemoor (Cambridgeshire)
In addition there are 3 privately operated prisons:
Peterborough (Peterborough) - Kalyx
Yarl’s Wood Immigration Detention Centre – Serco Home Affairs
Oakington Immigration Detention Centre (Cambridgeshire) - Global Solutions Ltd
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
6.14.3 London
London has 7 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ approximately
6,040 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP Belmarsh
HMP Brixton
HMP & YOI Feltham
HMP & YOI Holloway
HMP Latchmere House
HMP Wandsworth
HMP Wormwood Scrubs
In addition there are 3 privately operated prisons:
Bronzefield - Kalyx
Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre - Kalyx
Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre – Serco Home Affairs
Skills shortages and labour market projections in London are broadly in line with those nationally.
6.14.4 North East
The North East has 8 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 3,490 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
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HMP Acklington (Morpeth)
HM YOI Deerbolt (Barnard Castle)
HMP & YOI Castington (Morpeth)
HMP Durham
HMP Frankland (Durham)
HMP Holme House (Stockton-on-Tees)
HMP Kirklevington Grange (Yarm)
HMP & YOI Low Newton (Durham)
Hassockfield STC in County Durham is managed by Secro Home Affairs. Skills shortages and
labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those nationally.
6.14.5 North West
The North West has 14 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 5,920 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP Buckley Hall (Rochdale)
HMP Garth (Preston)
HMP & YOI (Forest Bank)
HMP Haverigg (Millom)
HMP Hindley (Wigan)
HMP Kennet
HMP Kirkham (Preston)
HMP Lancaster Castle (Lancaster)
HMP Lancaster Farms (Lancaster)
HMP Liverpool (Liverpool)
HMP Manchester (Manchester)
HMP Preston (Preston)
HMP Risley (Cheshire)
HMP Styal (Cheshire)
HM YOI Thorn Cross (Cheshire)
HMP Wymott (Preston)
In addition there is one privately operated prison, HMP& YOI Altcourse (Liverpool), managed by
Group 4 Securicor. Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in
line with those nationally.
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6.15.6 South East
The South East has 28 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 7,600 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP Albany (Isle of Wight)
HMP Arundel (Ford)
HMP & YOI Aylesbury (Aylesbury)
Blantyre House (Goudhurst)
Bullingdon (Bicester)
Grendon (Buckinghamshire)
Canterbury (Canterbury)
Camp Hill (Isle of Wight)
Coldingley (Woking)
HMP & YOI Cookham Wood (Rochester)
HMP & YOI Dover Immigration Removal Centre (Dover)
HMP Downview (Sutton)
HMP East Sutton Park (Maidstone)
HMP Elmley (Sheerness)
HMP Haslar Immigration Removal Centre (Gosport)
HMP Highdown (Sutton)
HMP Huntercombe (Henley-on-Thames)
HMP Kingston (Portsmouth)
HMP Lewes (Lewes)
HMP Maidstone (Maidstone)
HMP Parkhurst (Isle of Wight)
HMP & YOI Rochester (Rochester)
HMP Send (Woking)
HMP Spring Hill (Nr. Aylesbury)
HMP Standford Hill (Sheerness)
HMP Swaleside (Isle of Sheppey)
HMP Winchester (Winchester)
HMP Woodhill (Milton Keynes)
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In addition there is one private prison, Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre (Gatwick)
operated by Global Solutions, Ltd. Skills shortages in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
6.14.7 South West
The South West has 14 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 3,500 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP Bristol
HMP Channings Wood (Devon)
HMP Dartmoor
HMP Dorchester
HMP Eastwood park
HMP Erlestoke (Wiltshire)
HMP Exeter
HMP Gloucester
HMP & YOI Guys Marsh
HMP Leyhill (Gloucestershire)
HMP & YOI Portland
HMP Shepton Mallet (Somerset)
HMP Verne
In addition there is one private prison, HMP & YOI Ashfield (Bristol) operated by Secro Home
Affairs. Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
6.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 13 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 5,260 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP & YOI Birmingham (Birmingham)
HM YOI Brinsford (Wolverhampton)
HMP & YOI Drake Hall (Eccleshall)
HMP Featherstone (Wolverhampton)
HMP Hewell (Redditch)
HMP Long Lartin (Evesham)
HMP Shrewsbury (Shrewsbury)
HMP Stafford (Stafford)
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HMP Stoke Heath (Shropshire)
HMP & YOI Swinfen Hall (Lichfield)
HMP Werrington (Stoke on Trent)
In addition three are 2 privately operated prisons:
HMP & YOI Rye Hill (Nr Rugby) – Global Solutions Ltd
HMP Dovegate (Uttoxeter) – Secro Home Affairs
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
6.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
Yorkshire & Humberside has 13 prisons operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service which employ
approximately 5,520 full time equivalent staff across the following establishments:
HMP & YOI Askham Grange (York)
HMP Everthorpe (Brough)
HMP Full Sutton (York)
HMP Hull (Hull)
HMP Leeds (Leeds)
HMP Lindholme (Doncaster, split Immigration Removal Centre)
HMP Moorland Closed (Doncaster)
HMP Moorland Open (Doncaster)
HMP & YOI New Hall (Wakefield)
HMP & YOI Northallerton (Northallerton)
HMP Wakefield (Wakefield)
HMP Wealstun (Wetherby)
HMP & YOI Wetherby (Wetherby)
In addition there are two private prisons:
HMP Wolds (Brough) - Global Solutions Ltd,
HMP Doncaster (Doncaster) – Secro Home Affairs
The skills shortages and labour market projections in region are broadly in line with of the rest of
England.
6.14.10 Northern Ireland
The main functions of the custodial care strand in Northern Ireland are:
Holding adult and young prisoners securely;
Reducing the risk of prisoners re-offending;
86 30/09/2010
Providing custody and escort services;
Monitoring offenders in the community (e.g. via electronic tagging).
xliv
This activity is delivered by the 2,145 staff of the Northern Ireland Prison Service across three
prisons:
Maghaberry - high security prison holding adult males
Magilligan - medium security prison holding adult males ()
Hyde Bank Wood - young offenders centre and prison catering for 17-21 yr olds and
female offenders.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The Northern Ireland Prison Service has introduced two new grades; Prison Custody Officers and
Officer Support Grades. Otherwise, there is not expected to be any real change in skills needs.
New people will join the service as a result of the new grades, which will possibly be
accommodated by natural wastage or voluntary redundancy. There may be a maximum of 200
people entering the new grades. There is no large-scale ‘bulge’ of retirements pending.
The establishment of a Justice Department is not expected to affect the NIPS, other than in terms
of whom they report to. However, the Sentencing Framework Review could potentially have major
skills needs implications, depending upon its eventual outcomes.
Skill shortages
Basic skills gaps are an underlying issue, like literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.
Qualifications
Unlike Scotland, England and Wales, there is at present no formal qualification route either pre-
entry or during probation periods. All staff receive specific and technical training relevant to their
role but this not formally accredited at present nor does it lead to a recognised national
qualification.
6.14.11 Scotland
The main functions of the custodial care strand in Scotland are:
Holding adult and young prisoners securely;
Reducing the risk of prisoners re-offending;
Providing custody and escort services;
Monitoring offenders in the community (e.g. via electronic tagging).
This activity is delivered by the 4,869 staff employed across both the private and public sector. All
of the prisons in Scotland, with the exception of two that are privately run, are operated by the
Scottish Prison Service. A few of the prisons are split site offering both adult and young offender
institution (YOI) facilities. There is one maximum security prison which also provides both a
national induction centre facility for those offenders serving sentences of 8 years plus and a
National ‘Top End’ Facility for those offenders requiring lower supervision. The prisons are:
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HMP Addiewell – operated by Kalyx
HMP Aberdeen
HMP Barlinnie
HMP Castle Huntley and Noranside (make up HMP Open Estate in Scotland)
HMP & YOI Corton Vale (female and YOI)
HMP Dumfries
HMP Edinburgh
HMP Glenochil
HMP Greenock
HMP Inverness
HMP & YOI Kilmarnock – operated by Serco
HMP & YOI Perth
HMP Peterhead
HM YOI Polmont
HMP Shotts (maximum)
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Employment and labour market trends in Scotland are broadly in line with the UK.
Skill shortages
Headline areas for future workforce development in the Scottish Prison Service include:
Increased partnership working and partnership working skills
Keeping up with legislative change
ICT and soft skills relating to communications
Qualifications
To be a prison officer in Scotland you need five S grades (1-3) including English and Mathematics
(or equivalent), or three years' experience of working with people in education or in the
community for example. Following a successful application, you will attend an assessment day,
including an interview and tests of your verbal reasoning and number skills.
As a new prison officer in Scotland, you will spend a week in your chosen prison followed by six
weeks' training at the Scottish Prison Service College near Falkirk. Within your first two years of
service, you will also be expected to achieve SVQ Level 3 in Custodial Care.
Entry level requirements and qualifications vary for support roles.
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6.14.12 Wales
The majority of prisons within Wales are operated by HM Prison Service (HMPS), although the
Office of Contracted Prisons (within the Home Office) contracts with the private sector for the
design, build, management and finance of private prisons. Privately managed prisons were
introduced in England and Wales in the 1990s. The different types of prison establishments
include:
Adult male prisons
Adult female prisons
High security prisons
Immigration removal centres
Young offender institutions (YOI) and juvenile centres.
Some establishments are split sites providing facilities for both women prisoners and young
offenders / juveniles. In Wales there are a total of 5 prisons, one of which is privately managed,
while the rest are operated by HM Prison Service:
HMP Cardiff
HMP & YOI Park (YOI and managed by Group 4 Securicor)
HM YOI Frescoed
HMP Swansea
HMP Us
Her Majesty’s Prison Service employs 1,230 staff in Wales. The skills shortages in Wales are
broadly in line with that of England.
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Employment and labour market trends in Wales are in line with England.
Skill shortages
Skills shortages in Wales are in line those in England.
Qualifications
Qualifications in Wales are broadly in line with England.
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7.0 Community Justice
7.1 Sector Description
The community justice sector can be divided into the following five main areas of activity or career
pathways:
Working with Offending Behaviour
The broad remit of agencies that work with offending behaviour is to protect the public,
operate and enforce court orders and prison licences, and rehabilitate offenders to law
abiding and constructive lives.
This is achieved by preparing reports, supervision and resettlement of offenders,
delivering accredited programmes, and mediating.
Mix of public sector and third sector organisations.
Third sector organisations work in partnerships with statutory agencies to deliver services
in both the custodial environment and the community. The key focus of their services is
working with offenders and young people at risk to help them progress towards
employment, further training or education opportunities.
xlv
There are approximately 30,685 people working in this pathway, mostly in England &
Wales.
Working with Victims Survivors and Witnesses
Organisations in this pathway, which are mainly third sector, provide support to the
victims, survivors and witnesses of crime in general (Victim Support) or some
organisation might specialise in a particular area of crime such as domestic violence or
rape (Rape Crisis UK).
xlvi
This strand employees approximately 8,705 people of whom the majority work for
Victim Support in England.
One particular area of work within this strand focuses on the victims and survivors of
domestic violence and sexual abuse.. The nature of the work requires them to protect the
victims/survivors they support meaning many organisations tend not to provide open
access to the details of their locations and those working within them. It is also an
occupational area reliant upon high numbers of volunteers.
Community Safety
Community safety activities aim to reduce offending behaviour, and the harms
experienced by individuals and communities because of crime and disorder, but they also
seek to improve people’s quality of life through efforts to change the wider physical and
social environment.
Throughout the UK it has been recognised that crime reduction and community safety
cannot be successfully delivered by the police alone - broadly-based partnerships are
vital. To achieve this partnership working at a local level, Crime and Disorder Reduction
Partnerships (CRDPs) have been established in England, whilst Community Safety
Partnerships (CSPs) have been established in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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There are 374 CDRPs / CSPs covering every Local Authority (LA) area in England and
xlvii
Wales; 32 CSPs in Scotland and 26 CSPs in Northern Ireland.
Key participants in these partnerships are the police, fire and local authorities, primary
care trusts / NHS health boards and third sector organisations.
CDRPs & CSPs generally employ anywhere from 1 – 5 core staff who coordinate and
lead the partnership’s strategy though partnership working. Assuming the average size is
3 employees in England, Wales and Scotland, these partnerships employ 1,300 people.
Additionally there are 2,054 wardens making a total of approximately 3,350 people
xlviii
working in the community safety field.
Substance Misuse
Community-based substance misuse organisations (whether statutory or third sector)
work to improve availability, capability and effectiveness of advice, support and treatment
for drug misuse.
Within the context of the Justice Sector, such organisations work specifically with the
Government, Health Service, Police, Probation and Prison Service to improve the
availability and quality of treatment for offenders. The emphasis is on developing
integrated care.
Drug and alcohol action teams (DAATs) in England and Substance Misuse Action Teams
(SMATs) in Wales are responsible for ensuring that the national drugs strategy is
xlix l
delivered at a local level. There are 150 English DAATs and 22 Welsh SMATs which
take strategic decisions on expenditure and service delivery within the four aims of the
National Drugs Strategy: treatment, young people, communities and supply.
Their work involves: commissioning services, including supporting structures; monitoring
and reporting on performance; communicating plans, activities and performance to
stakeholders. They ensure that the work of local agencies is brought together effectively
and that cross-agency projects are co-ordinated successfully.
Like most of the Community Justice strand, substance misuse organisations are
predominately small third sector organisations with a handful of larger charities employing
approximately 500 or more staff (Addaction - 900 Employees, Turning Point England &
Wales - 2,000 employees, and Turning Point Scotland - 1,125 employees).
Approximately 5,000 people work within this third sector of substance misuse. We
currently do not have accurate figures to reflect those who work for public sector
li
substance misuse organisations.
Youth Justice
The youth justice strand is similar to Working with Offending Behaviour but instead of
focusing on adult offenders this pathway focuses on young offenders and young people.
The key focus of the services employed by organisations in this pathway is to work with
young people at risk to help them progress towards employment, further training or
education opportunities.
In England and Wales, the Youth Justice system comprises of Youth Offending Teams
(YOTs). There is a YOT in every LA in England and Wales. They are made up of
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representatives from the Police, Probation Service, Social Services, Health, Education,
Drugs and Alcohol Misuse, and Housing Officers.
The YOT identifies the needs of each young offender by assessing them. It identifies the
specific problems that make the young person offend as well as measuring the risk they
pose to others. This enables the YOT to identify suitable programmes to address the
needs of the young person with the intention of preventing further offending.
The YOT workforce has grown significantly and there are over 10,000 staff across
England and Wales who are supported by a Volunteer workforce that may equal that
lii
number.
Unlike other areas of the Justice sector, Community Justice contains a mix of:
Large national statutory, or public sector organisations
Large national / UK – wide voluntary, not for profit charitable bodies (more commonly
known as third sector organisations)
Many small third sector organisations (high concentration of these organisations)
The most prevalent employers in this sector are mapped in the table below.
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
National Probation Service NACRO (England & Wales)
(NPS) – England & Wales
Sova (England & Wales)
National Offender Management
SACRO (Scotland)
Service (NOMS) – England &
Working with Wales Apex Scotland
Offending
Criminal Justice Social Work NIACRO (Northern Ireland)
Behaviour
(CJSW) – Scotland
Probation Board Northern
Ireland (PBNI) – Northern
Ireland
Police Victim Support (UK wide)
Crown Prosecution Service Rape Crisis (England &
(CPS) Wales)
Probation Service Rape Crisis Scotland
Working with
Victims, Women’s Aid Federation of
Survivors & England
Witnesses
Welsh Women’s Aid
Scottish Women’s Aid
Northern Ireland Women’s
Aid Federation
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Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
Crime Reduction & Disorder Catch 22
Partnerships (CRDPs) –
(England)
Community Safety Partnerships
(CSP) – Wales
Community
Community Safety Partnerships
Safety
(CSP) – Scotland
Community Safety Partnerships
(CSP) – Northern Ireland
Community Safety Unit (CSU) –
Northern Ireland
Drug Action Teams (DATs) - Turning Point (GB)
England
Addaction (England &
Substance Misuse Action Scotland)
Teams (SMATs) – Wales
Phoenix Futures (England
Substance Alcohol & Drug Action Teams & Scotland
Misuse (ADATs) – Scotland
Compass (England)
Drug & Alcohol Coordination
Rapt (England)
Teams (DACTs) – Northern
Ireland Prism (Wales)
ASCERT (Northern Ireland)
Youth Justice Board (YJB) – NACRO (England & Wales)
England & Wales
Sova (England & Wales)
Youth Offending Teams (YOT)
YMCA (England & Wales)
– England & Wales
SACRO (Scotland)
Scottish Children’s Reporters
Administration (SCRA) - Apex Scotland
Scotland Includem (Scotland)
Youth Justice
Local Authority Social Services NCH Scotland
(Children & Families, Youth
Justice and Criminal Justice NIACRO (Northern Ireland)
Social Services) - Scotland Include Youth (Northern
Youth Justice Agency (primarily Ireland)
their Community & Youth
Conferencing Services) –
Northern Ireland
93 30/09/2010
liii
Approximately 70% of the 73,000 strong Community Justice workforce are employed by the
public sector. Local authorities play a role in hosting or directly employing people in Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) / Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs), Youth
Offending Teams (YOTs) and Drug / or Alcohol & Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (DAATs).
Agencies like the National Treatment Agency (NTA), Youth Justice Board (YJB), Scottish
Government and Northern Ireland Executive provide direction and advice to these organisations.
There is also a less visible side to the Community Justice workforce in the large number of small
charities and voluntary organisations that provide services to the Justice sector. These small
agencies still remain hard to access therefore they are hard to quantify. Because of this, the
majority of information is restricted to the public sector organisations and larger charities / third
sector agencies.
Compared to the whole economy, those working in Community Justice are more likely to be:
liv
Female : 66 per cent are female and 34 per cent male in the sector, compared with 54
and 46 per cent respectively across the whole economy. The Courts sector has the
highest female workforce percentages across the Justice sector.
lv
Higher number from ethnic groups : 85 per cent are from white ethnic groups, which is
higher that the whole economy (92 per cent) and other Justice sector strands such as
Policing & Law Enforcement (5%) and Custodial Care (6%).
7.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Occupations from each pathway of Community Justice are listed below, those in bold indicate
key occupations / emerging jobs.
Pathway Key Occupations
Probation Services Officer
Trainee Probation Officer
Probation Officer
Supervisor
Working with Offending
Psychologist
Behaviour
Senior Practitioner
Treatment Manager
Operational Support Staff
Project Workers
Working with Victims, Managers
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Pathway Key Occupations
Survivors & Witnesses Victim Care Officers
Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
Senior practitioners
Counsellor/Therapist
Helpline workers
Volunteers
Community Safety Managers
Community Safety Officers
Community Safety
Neighbourhood Wardens / Community Wardens
Community Safety Team Leader
DAT / SMAT Co-ordinator
Project worker
Substance Misuse Substance Misuse Worker
Practice nurse
Administrative worker
Youth Workers
YOT Manager
Senior Practitioner
Youth Justice
Practitioner
Administrative Assistants
Volunteers
Working with Offending Behaviour
The key careers available in working with offending behaviour are:
Probation Officer (including senior posts)
Probation Services Officer (PSO)
As a probation officer, you would assess the risk an offender may pose to the community, and
how that risk may be limited. You would work with offenders before, during and after they are
sentenced. You would often work in a 'field team', preparing court reports and supervising
offenders in the community. You could also work in other settings such as prisons or probation
hostels. In this job you would work closely with a range of other agencies such as the police,
social services, substance misuse services and Youth Offending Teams.
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In England and Wales the Probation Qualification Framework came into effect from April 2010.
There are now various routes to qualify as a Probation Officer. There is no longer a trainee
position, rather you will be employed as a Probation Service Officer and qualify to become a
Probation Officer when positions become available.
See the following link for further details: http://www.probation-northwest.co.uk/probation-
qualifications-framework.html. Vacancies are advertised by individual local Probation Trusts.
Around half of successful applicants to PSO positions have a background in probation-related
work, in jobs such as community supervisor or hostel worker.
As a qualified probation officer, you will be encouraged to continue your professional and
personal development throughout your career. With experience, you could specialise in areas
such as hostel or prison work, or progress into management.
Unlike probation officers, Probation Service Officers (PSOs) supervise only low risk offenders.
Their duties are to protect the public, promote community safety and prevent crime. Duties vary
depending on where they work, but can include:
providing pre-sentence court and bail information reports
overseeing unpaid community work programmes for offenders
dealing with referrals for things like substance misuse, health or work issues
delivering programmes to help change offenders' behaviour
Providing support to crime victims and their families.
Experienced PSOs can progress to supervisory roles.
Working with Victims, Survivors & Witnesses
Key job roles are:
Victim Care Officer
Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
Victim Care Officers contact victims by telephone in order to carry out a needs assessment and
commission a range of services to support the identified needs. Where necessary they will refer
on to other agencies and contact approved service providers to deliver services to victims, in
order to ensure that the identified needs of the victim are met satisfactorily. Victim Care Officers
can progress to Senior Care Officers and Team Leaders.
An Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVAs) primary role will be to ensure the provision
of support and advocacy services to all clients who are experiencing domestic violence. This
involves:
Risk assessment and risk management
Safety planning
Attending court with victims
Advising on housing and legal options
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Service planning.
They work directly with survivors to provide advice and support to help them make safety plans
and understand the options they have. They also assist in accessing the full range of legal and
non-legal services and resources and engage proactively in multi-agency work to keep
survivors and their children safe. Generally those who have experience in providing advocacy,
advice and support related fields such as welfare or housing are entrants to this occupation as
the skills can be transferable between these fields and domestic violence.
Community Safety
The key careers available in working with offending behaviour are:
Community Safety Manager
Community Safety Officer
Community safety officers are normally based in council offices and typical duties may include:
Attending meetings of community groups – which may be held in the evenings.
Building links and encouraging closer cooperation with people in the community and with
other departments and organisations such as the Probation Service, schools, the police,
local health trusts and the youth service.
Liaise with voluntary groups such as Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support and
tenants’/residents’ associations.
Develop new initiatives. For example, the partnership organisations might decide to
target housing estates with higher than average crime rates, and introduce measures.
Work with young people.
A small council might employ two or three community safety officers. In a large council there
might be several teams of officers, each responsible for a number of initiatives. There may be
possibilities to progress to team or service manager roles. There may also be opportunities within
anti-social behaviour or youth offending teams.
Community Safety Managers have a huge variety of tasks – some may deal directly with the
public, others have a much more strategic role. Basically they are the council’s lead officer on
community safety matters, with the expectation that they will provide all necessary management
and guidance on community safety matters as required
Some of the main job activities for this post are as follows:
Preparation of strategic documents, Action Plans and consultation bids for external
funding Liaising with external bodies and working closely with the Council's partners
Providing day to day management support for the Community Safety Team
Undertaking financial management of the Council's budgets in relation to the Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnership.
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Substance Misuse
Drug & Alcohol / Substance misuse workers work in a variety of roles, supporting both adults and
young people with drug and alcohol dependency problems. Working in healthcare, social care
and criminal justice teams, they may:
Conduct drug and alcohol tests
Assess the needs of individual clients, referring them to other specialist support or
rehabilitation
Provide education, advice and guidance
Deliver one-to-one or group counselling among other support interventions
Administer medication, monitoring and overseeing clients' rehabilitation.
Tasks can vary widely, depending on where they work. However, all share the common goal of
winning clients' trust and giving constructive support.
Many people transfer into this field from other professions including nursing, teaching, youth
work, prison or probation services. Some experienced workers move into management positions,
supervising workers, and some may choose to specialise, for example working with young people
or adults.
Most organisations will give you on-the-job training whether you are volunteering or in paid
employment. It is important to continually develop your skills throughout your career. If you want
to progress in this career, you may have to take higher-level qualifications. You can find details
about professional certification on the Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals (FDAP)
website.
Youth Justice
Youth workers usually work with young people aged between 13 and 19 years (or in some cases,
from 11 to 25 years). The job may involve tasks such as:
Organising enjoyable activities, such as sports, art or drama
Supporting young people to develop ideas and make changes in their lives
Organising outings and breaks to places like outward bound and activity centres
Supporting young people in organising their own activities and projects
Raising awareness about issues such as health and politics
Supporting young people in developing skills such as literacy and numeracy
Working with specific groups such as young people who are homeless.
Youth workers are employed by local authorities, the Connexions service, youth offending teams,
voluntary organisations, faith groups and schools.
Youth work skills are in demand, and opportunities are increasing. Newly-qualified youth workers
train on the job with the support of experienced colleagues. Qualified youth workers may move
into managerial posts or specialist work, for example working with young offenders.
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7.3 Information on pay scales in the sector
lvi
Probation Service Officers - £19,909 - £25,974
lvii
Probation Officers - £26,229 - £34,239
lviii
Victim Care Officers - £15,000 - £20,000
Independent Domestic / Sexual Violence Advocate - £19,000 - £29,000
lix
Community Safety Officer - £23,000 - £27,000
Community Safety Manager - £35,000 - £40,000
Substance Misuse Worker – starting £15,000 - £20,000 with experience £21,000 to
lx
£28,000, team leaders and service managers can earn £24,000 - £35,000
lxi
Youth Worker - £22,000 for qualified staff rising to £35,000 for senior staff
7.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
Probation Service Officer
You do not need formal qualifications for most PSO posts, but you should have a good standard
of English as the work involves writing reports.
You will need to pass a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) background check when you apply for
work. Having a criminal record would not bar you from applying, although the nature of the
offence and the time since it was committed would be closely considered. Offences against
children and violent offences would disqualify you from applying. See the CRB website for more
information.
You may be able to get into this type of work through an Advanced Apprenticeship in Community
Justice. The Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the
types of skills employers need from their workers.
You could come to probation work from a range of backgrounds. Experience of working with
offenders or people facing difficulties such as drug or alcohol addiction would be an asset. Your
experience could come from paid work or volunteering.
A background in youth and community work, mental health, substance misuse work or adult
education could be especially useful, but this is not essential if you can show the right personal
qualities and get relevant experience from volunteering.
Some probation service trusts offer opportunities for volunteering. As a volunteer, you would be
linked to offenders and help them with everyday life and problem situations. There may also be
opportunities in hostels, prisons or community work schemes. Contact your local probation trust
to find out whether volunteering opportunities are available in your area.
You could also get relevant experience through volunteering for a Youth Offending Team or local
community project. Visit do-it.org to find out about opportunities available in your area.
Applications should be made through your local probation trust -
http://www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk/output/page8.asp.
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Probation Officer
In England and Wales the Probation Qualification Framework came into effect from April 2010.
There are now various routes to qualify as a Probation Officer. There is no longer a trainee
position, rather you will be employed as a Probation Service Officer and qualify to become a
Probation Officer when positions become available.
See the following link for further details: http://www.probation-northwest.co.uk/probation-
qualifications-framework.html. Vacancies are advertised by individual local Probation Trusts.
Probation service employers value any previous experience of paid or volunteer work with
offenders or other vulnerable groups. Life experience is also highly valued, and many people
enter this profession as a second career.
Volunteering with services such as local probation hostels, youth offending services, prison
visiting or victim support services can give you valuable insight into the work. Visit do-it.org.uk or
contact your local probation service to find out about local volunteering opportunities.
Victim Care Officers
In general there are no qualifications are needed for victim care officers but experience is needed
in delivering a service in statutory, voluntary, community or private sector setting and working with
a range of people. Knowledge and understanding in the following is essential:
Relevant local agencies and resources
Importance of confidentiality and safe working practice
Diversity issues and principles
How people can respond to stress and trauma
These posts are advertised by charities such as Victim Support
(http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/Get%20involved/Work%20for%20us/View%20all%20jobs), local
authorities, police forces and other public sector organisations.
Independent Domestic Violence Advisor/Advocate
Independent Domestic Violence Advisor/Advocates are employed by both small and large
charities e.g. Survived, Victim Support, or local authorities. Most applicants will be required to
have:
Experience of work in providing advocacy, advice and support in a related field such as
welfare, housing or domestic violence,
Extensive experience of planning and delivering caseloads, with strong crisis
management skills
Knowledge of criminal justice issues.
NVQ level 4 (or equivalent) and an understanding of the causes and effects of domestic
violence.
Driving licence and access to a vehicle essential in certain organisation.
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Because of the prevalence of domestic violence effecting women, some advocate posts are for
female applicants only and applicants will be subject to a CRB check.
Community Safety Officer / Manager
Community safety officers have varied backgrounds with no upper age limit for entry to this work.
Entry requirements vary between employers:
Some employers ask for a degree. Degree subjects such as community studies,
community justice, criminology and sociology may be helpful.
Some employers look for experience in a project management role that has involved
communication and negotiation with different departments.
Some local authorities may ask for a degree, or equivalent, and experience in a related
area, such as probation, social or youth work.
Some councils require degree level or equivalent qualifications and experience in related
jobs such as probation, social or youth work. You may also need some knowledge of
crime and disorder legislation.
Community Safety Officer vacancies can be found in the following places:
LGjobs.com - the official recruitment website for local government.
Local council websites
Local newspapers
It may be possible to become a junior community safety support worker by following the
Advanced Apprenticeship in Community Justice. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Community safety officers have varied backgrounds. Some have formal qualifications while
others have experience in a project management role that has involved communication and
negotiation with different departments.
Some councils require degree level or equivalent qualifications and experience in related jobs
such as probation, social or youth work. You may also need some knowledge of crime and
lxii
disorder legislation.
Community Safety Managers will be expected to be educated to degree standard or with
equivalent experience, they should relish the challenge of leading a team dedicated to making a
difference in the community. Previous experience within a similar role and knowledge of Crime
and Disorder methodologies/ project delivery essential. Community Safety Manager positions will
be advertised in the same place as Officer vacancies
Drug & Alcohol / Substance Misuse Worker
Some job roles may require applicants to have the relevant professional qualifications
from a health, social care or criminal justice setting. Few organisations employ substance
misuse workers under the age of 21. The Advanced Apprenticeship in Community Justice
(Drug and Alcohol Pathway) for those over 18 may be a route in.
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Volunteering for an organisation such as a drug, alcohol or housing charity is an excellent
way to build skills and experience, and would help when you come to apply for paid work.
Previous experience in criminal justice, social care, youth work or counselling may give
you an advantage when looking for paid work.
If you have personal experience of addiction or dependency you could also apply for
outreach work, as applications are usually welcome from people who have successfully
come through treatment.
Part-time college courses in substance misuse are available, for instance the NCFE
Certificate in Drug Awareness, which might help you to gain an understanding of some of
the issues. Check with your local college for details.
Most jobs would also need you to pass an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.
This job involves a lot of travel around the community, so a driving licence and access to
a vehicle could be helpful, although this is not always essential.
You can find contacts for substance misuse organisations in your local telephone directory or by
visiting Talktofrank, where you can search for organisations by postcode or town. For more
information about working in this field, see the websites for the Federation of Drug & Alcohol
Professionals (FDAP), DrugScope and Alcohol Concern.
Youth Worker
To become a professional youth worker, you will need to gain a youth and community work
qualification that is recognised by the National Youth Agency (NYA). Recognised youth work
qualifications can be:
Dip HE (two years full-time, or part-time equivalent, some are employment based)
Foundation Degree (two years full-time, or part time equivalent, most are employment
based)
BA Honours degree (three years full-time, or part-time equivalent)
postgraduate certificate, diploma or MA (one year full-time, or part-time equivalent)
As from September 2010, all new professional qualifications in youth work will be at Honours
degree level or higher. Course entry requirements can vary, so you should check with each
university or college. You may be accepted without formal qualifications if you have relevant work
experience and the potential to succeed on the course.
It is important for you to get experience of working with young people. This can be paid or
voluntary. You will often need at least one or two years' experience to apply for professional youth
work courses and jobs. You can contact your local youth service or volunteer agencies to arrange
voluntary or part-time sessional work.
You could also start as a part-time or volunteer youth support worker (assistant) without any
qualifications. You could then take work-based qualifications in youth support work, and go on to
complete professional training part-time, or by distance-learning.
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See the NYA website for a list of recognised professional courses and information on youth
support worker qualifications. When you apply to work with young people, you must also pass a
CRB check.
Most opportunities for youth workers are with local authority youth services and the Connexions
Service. You could also work for youth offending teams, government-funded projects, faith
groups, community groups and voluntary organisations. Jobs are advertised in the local and
national press, specialist recruitment agencies and local authority websites.
7.5 Qualifications
The table below summarises the qualification gained upon entry into the various pathways of the
Community Justice strand. It is important to note that some of these qualifications can only be
undertaken once a person is recruited into the organisation.
Entry is usually with at least five GCSEs (A*-C) or equivalent,
including English and Mathematics. Many applicants have A levels,
and some have a degree.
Probation Service
Officer
The Advanced Apprenticeship in Community Justice or Youth Justice
is an alternative route in.
In England and Wales the Probation Qualification Framework came
into effect from April 2010. There are now various employed routes to
qualify as a Probation Officer depending upon your previous
qualifications. There is no longer a trainee position, rather you will be
Probation Officer employed as a Probation Service Officer and qualify to become a
Probation Officer when positions become available.
See the following link for further details: http://www.probation-
northwest.co.uk/probation-qualifications-framework.html.
Independent Domestic
An NVQ Level 4 equivalent, counselling diploma is preferred by some
Violence
employers as well as the completion of Co-ordination Action Against
Advisor/Advocate
Domestic Abuse (CAADA) Advocate training
(IDVA)
Some employers ask for a degree. Degree subjects such as
Community Safety
community studies, community justice, criminology and sociology may
Officer/Manager
be helpful
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You may have an advantage for some jobs if you have professional
qualifications. The exact requirements will depend on the role you are
interested in, but relevant qualifications may include:
Drug & Alcohol /
Substance Misuse Diploma in counselling
Worker Degree or diploma social work
Degree or diploma in nursing
Teaching qualifications (PGCE, Cert Ed or adult teaching
certificate).
Youth workers need to have one of the following qualifications
recognised by National Youth Agency (NYA):
Dip HE (two years full-time, or part-time equivalent, some are
employment based)
Foundation Degree (two years full-time, or part time
equivalent, most are employment based)
Youth Worker
BA Honours degree (three years full-time, or part-time
equivalent)
Postgraduate certificate, diploma or MA (one year full-time, or
part-time equivalent)
As from September 2010, all new professional qualifications in youth
work will be at Honours degree level or higher.
7.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The Comprehensive Spending Review due in October 2010 will have a significant impact on the
Justice and Community Safety Sector, as it will do on the Public Sector as a whole. Budget cuts
across all government departments will inevitably lead to job cuts and less job opportunities.
However, linked to the governments ‘Big Society’ issue the voluntary sector may well see some
growth in opportunities both paid and unpaid. Financial incentives to organisations that can
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deliver returns on cutting re-offending and increased use of community sentences may benefit
some community justice organisations and provide further career opportunities.
These were the projections in 2007 that predicted by 2017:
Declines will be the administrative, clerical and secretarial group.
Increases for managers and professional occupations.
Women are expected to continue to slowly increase their share of total employment.
Part-time working is projected to continue to increase. This sector is a popular source of
jobs for women, particularly those looking for part time employment as conditions are
favourable to such working arrangements.
Pressures to restrain government expenditure and cut costs mean increased productivity and
efficiency will be essential to the sector.
The issue of offender learning is also increasing its impact on the Community Justice strand.
Whilst initiatives under the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) do not directly affect
employees in the sector, the key aim of OLASS has a clear impact on staff employed across
Community Justice: "that offenders, in prisons and supervised in the community, according to
need, should have access to learning and skills, which enables them to gain the skills and
qualifications they need to hold down a job and have a positive role in society”. The ability of
employees in the Community Justice strand to signpost and assist offenders is an area for
consideration.
7.7 Skills shortages
Multi agency working - This is a key skill for employees of the agencies in this sector
strand.
Information sharing - Information sharing has specific relation in the Community Justice
pathways due to the nature of the Justice cycle. Community services will deal with
offenders on release from a custodial sentence and will need to have the best information
on their offence and any issues arising from the period of their sentence. Quality
information is key to accurate risk assessment in all aspects of community justice and is
therefore an important area for work.
ICT - The issue of information sharing also relates to ICT provision. There has been an
initial assessment of ICT and other Skills for Life on entry to the Probation service as part
of the entry programme for Probation officers but it is unclear as to what other provision
or assessment of ICT skills is undertaken for others entering the service.
Leadership and Management – Due to the emphasis on commissioning services there is
a heightened focus on the key management skills of change, procurement, contracting,
and tendering.
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7.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
The below table illustrates the skills and knowledge an applicant will need for the following key
community justice occupations.
Key Jobs What skills and knowledge will I need?
Unbiased in their judgment of offenders
Accurate in the recording of information
Communicate effectively with all people, from offenders to
Probation Service court personnel
Officer
Good at writing reports and presenting information
Literate and numerate
Interested in supporting people to realise the effect of crime.
Ability to relate to a wide range of people
Confident spoken communication skills
A fair, objective and non-judgmental approach
a mature and responsible attitude
Ability to gain people's trust and confidence
Ability to cope with stressful situations
Probation Officer
Report writing skills
Good organisational skills, with the ability to plan your own
workload
Ability to work well as part of team and also on your own
initiative
Problem-solving ability
Motivation and commitment
Communicate effectively verbally and in writing
Have excellent telephone skills
Maintain a strong customer focus
Demonstrate empathy and control own emotions.
Victim Care Officer
Good knowledge of how people can respond to stress and
trauma
Understand the importance of confidentiality
106 30/09/2010
Key Jobs What skills and knowledge will I need?
Multi-agency working skills with a range of statutory and
voluntary organisations.
Good interpersonal and communication skills.
Independent A commitment to equal opportunities
Domestic Violence
Advisor/Advocate Ability to work in partnership with criminal justice system
(DVA) agencies and relevant statutory and voluntary groups.
Counselling skills
A good working knowledge and experience of relevant
legislation in providing effective domestic violence support.
Excellent communicator
Good written skills for report writing,
Be diplomatic,
Be enthusiastic,
Community Safety
Officer Be good negotiators,
Be able to motivate other people,
Be resilient – able to cope if they feel that some people are
being uncooperative,
Good organisational and project management skills.
Empathy and a calm, caring approach
An understanding of substance misuse issues and their impact
on people
Non-judgmental attitude
Drug & Alcohol /
Substance Misuse Ability to build trusting relationships
Worker Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team
Excellent communication and listening skills
Ability to work closely with a range of different organisations
Respect for confidentiality
Ability to build good relationships and earn trust and respect
Excellent communication and listening skills
Youth Worker
Ability to relate to people from all backgrounds
Tact and sensitivity
107 30/09/2010
Key Jobs What skills and knowledge will I need?
Patience and resilience
Non-judgmental attitude
Initiative, enthusiasm and motivation
Good organisational skills
Commitment to equal opportunities
Interest or skills in areas that may interest young people, such
as sports or the arts.
7.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Probation Service Officer
Victim Care Officer
Community Safety Officer
Drug & Alcohol / Substance Misuse Worker
Youth Worker
Experience in service delivery is an essential element entrants into the Community Justice sector
need to demonstrate. There is much cross over from hostel / housing, welfare, advocacy, youth
services, community services, victim services, custodial setting and law enforcement into the
Community Justice sector.
Volunteering with services such as local probation hostels, youth offending services,
prison visiting or victim support services can give you valuable insight into the work of a
Probation Service Officer, helping you gain an advantage to entry.
Around half of successful applicants to trainee probation positions have a background in
probation-related work, in jobs such as Probation Service Officer (PSO), community
supervisor or hostel worker. A Visit do-it.org.uk or contact your local probation service to
find out about local volunteering opportunities.
In general there are no qualifications are needed for victim care officers but experience is
needed in delivering a service in statutory, voluntary, community or private sector setting
and working with a range of people. Many victim care officers, start as out volunteers
within Victim Support and progress into paid employment as victim care officers.
Most councils require degree level or equivalent qualifications for Community Safety
Officers alongside experience in related jobs such as probation, social or youth work.
Additionally applicants may also need some knowledge of crime and disorder legislation
which comes along from volunteering / working within other strands of the Justice sector.
Some police forces run Community Safety Accreditation Schemes for non-judicial staff.
108 30/09/2010
The aim is to develop closer working partnerships, enhancing community safety and
tackling anti-social behaviour as a team. Accreditations are issued by chief constables.
Accredited Persons (APs) can be identified by a nationally standardised badge, which
they must wear at all times.
Alcohol & Drug / Substance Misuse Worker, volunteering for an organisation such as a
drug, alcohol or housing charity is an excellent way to build skills and experience, and
would help when you come to apply for paid work. Previous experience in criminal
justice, social care, youth work or counselling is advantageous. Drug charities strongly
recommend that you check that any academic training includes work-based placements
to gain practical experience in this field.
It is important for Youth Worker applicants to get experience of working with young
people. This can be paid or voluntary. You will often need at least one or two years'
experience to apply for professional youth work courses and jobs. You can contact your
local youth service or volunteer agencies to arrange voluntary or part-time sessional
work.
Additionally most community justice posts will require applicants to pass Criminal Records
Bureau check.
7.10 Job Profiles
Probation Services Officer
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4U/index.cfm?pid=63&catalogueContentID=2168
Trainee Probation Officer / Probation Officer
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile295/
Victim Care Officers
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=1621&job
profilename=Victim%20Care%20Officer&code=-1752925435
http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/Get%20involved/Work%20for%20us/View%20all%20jobs
Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
http://www.caada.org.uk/cat_training.htm
Community Safety Officer
http://www.lgcareers.com/career-descriptions/protecting-your-community/community-safety-
officer/
http://www.connexions-direct.com/JOBS4U/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=748
Drug & Alcohol / Substance Misuse Worker
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile1454/
http://www.connexions-direct.com/JOBS4U/index.cfm?pid=63&catalogueContentID=2169
Youth Worker
109 30/09/2010
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile300/
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/youth_worker_job_description.jsp
7.11 Case studies
Probation Officer
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/probation_officer_case_1.jsp
http://www.eeptdc.co.uk/working/troy.htm
http://www.eeptdc.co.uk/tpo/testimonials.htm
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/Case%20study%20-%20Michelle%20Young(1).pdf
Victim Care Officer
http://lcjb.cjsonline.gov.uk/Cambridgeshire/1739.html
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/Day%20in%20the%20life%20-
%20The%20Standard%206.pdf
Community Safety Officer
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/JOBS4U/index.cfm?pid=65&catalogueContentID=1057&parent=748
Drug & Alcohol / Substance Misuse Worker
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_job_sectors/Social_care/case_s
tudies/p!emkpib
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/JOBS4U/index.cfm?pid=86&catalogueContentID=2482&parent=2169
Youth Worker
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/youth_worker_case_1.jsp
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/youth_worker_case_2.jsp
http://lcjb.cjsonline.gov.uk/Cambridgeshire/1424.html
Community Justice Panel Volunteer
A day in the life... of a Community Justice Panel Volunteer
7.12 FAQs
Who needs a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Check?
If you’re applying for a job or voluntary position that involves working with young people or
vulnerable adults then you could be asked to apply for a CRB check. Note: If you are unsure why
you need to be CRB checked ask the person who asked you to apply to explain. A full list of the
110 30/09/2010
professions, offices, employments, work and occupations that can be CRB checked can be found
at www.crb.gov.uk/dip in the ‘Disclosure Access Category codes’.
Why is volunteering important?
Volunteering is an excellent way to gain relevant experience, make contacts and eventually find
paid work. It not only gives the employer a chance to see your skills and motivation, but it allows
you to decide whether this is the career for you.
What is the new recruitment process for trainee probation officer?
The recruitment and training process for probation officers is under review, so this may change
once the new process is finalised (expected to be in 2010)You should check with your local
probation service for the latest information.
When do they recruit for trainee probation officers?
Trainee probation officer jobs have traditionally been advertised in the local press in March each
year. However, some probation areas may not recruit every year. You should always check with
your local probation consortium for the latest recruitment information
7.13 Source of additional information
Skills for Justice (SSC) - http://www.skillsforjustice.com/template01.asp?pageid=589
National Probation Service - http://www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk/output/Page1.asp
Drug Scope - http://www.drugscope.org.uk
Alcohol Concern - http://www.alcoholconcern.
Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals http://www.fdap.org.uk
LG Jobs - http://www.lgjobs.com/
NHS Jobs - http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/
Jobs 4 Youth Work - http://www.jobs4youthwork.co.uk/
Youth Justice Board - http://www.yjb.gov.uk/en-gb/
Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse - http://www.caada.org.uk/cat_training.htm
Victim Support England & Wales -
http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/vs_england_wales/index.php
National Community Safety Network (NCSN) www.community-safety.net and
www.communitysafetyjobs.co.uk
Clinks - supporting voluntary organisations that work with offenders and
their families: http://www.clinks.org/index.aspx
111 30/09/2010
7.14 Regional Informationlxiii
7.14.1 East Midlands
The types of employers and number of establishments in the East Midlands Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Pathway Number of Details
establishments
Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire,
Drug Action
9 Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham,
Teams
Nottinghamshire, Rutland
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland,
Probation 5
Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire
Derby City, Derbyshire, Leicester City,
Youth Offending
8 Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire,
Teams
Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
7.14.2 East of England
The types of employers and number of establishments in the East of England Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Pathway Number of Details
establishments
Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Drug Action
10 Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Southend, Thurrock &
Teams
Dagenham, Peterborough, Luton
Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Probation 6
Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex
Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Youth Offending
10 Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Southend, Thurrock &
Teams
Dagenham, Peterborough, Luton
Skills shortages and labour market projections in the region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
112 30/09/2010
7.14.3 London
The types of employers and number of establishments in London Community Justice sector is
illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon,
Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,
Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow,
Drug Action Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow,, Islington,
33 Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,
Teams
Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham,
Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark,
Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest,
Wandsworth, and Westminster.
London Probation covers the 33 London
Probation 1
boroughs
Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield,
Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham,
Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,
Youth Offending Hounslow,, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea,
32 Kingston upon Thames,
Teams
Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham,
Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark,
Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest,
Wandsworth, and Westminster.
Skills shortages and labour market projections in London are broadly in line with those nationally.
7.14.4 North East
The types of employers and number of establishments in the North East Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool,
Drug Action Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North
12
Teams Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland,
South Tyneside, Stockton, Sunderland
113 30/09/2010
Probation 4 Durham, Humberside, Northumbria, Teesside
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool,
Youth Offending Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside,
11
Teams Northumberland, South Tees, South Tyneside,
Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
7.14.5 North West
The types of employers and number of establishments in the North West Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bury
Cheshire, Cumbria, Halton, Knowsley, Lancashire,
Drug Action Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham
22
Teams
Rochdale, Salford, Sefton, St. Helens, Stockport,
Tameside, Trafford, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral
Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester,
Probation 5
Lancashire, Merseyside
Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Bury, Cheshire
Cumbria, Halton/Warrington, Knowsley, Lancashire,
Youth Offending
15 Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham
Teams
Rochdale, Salford, Sefton, St Helens, Stockport
Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, Wirral
Skills shortages in this region are broadly in line with those nationally.
7.15.6 South East
The types of employers and number of establishments in the South East Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
Drug Action Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove,
19 Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle
Teams
of Wight, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes,
114 30/09/2010
Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, Reading, Slough,
Southampton, Surrey, West Berkshire, West
Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham
Probation 5 Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley
Bracknell Forest, Brighton & Hove,
Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Kent, Medway,
Youth Offending
15 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Reading &
Teams
Wokingham, Slough, Surrey, Wessex, West
Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor & Maidenhead
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
7.14.7 South West
The types of employers and number of establishments in the South West Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
Establishments
Bath and NE Somerset, Bournemouth, Bristol,
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset,
Drug Action
15 Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Poole,
Teams
Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon,
Torbay, Wiltshire
Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset,
Probation 5
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire
Bath and NE Somerset, Bournemouth and Poole,
Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon,
Youth Offending
14 Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset,
Teams
Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire,
Swindon, Torbay, Wiltshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
7.14.8 West Midlands
The types of employers and number of establishments in the West Midlands Community Justice
sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
115 30/09/2010
Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire,
Drug Action Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire,
14
Teams Stoke on Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall,
Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire
Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West
Probation 4
Midlands
Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell,
Shropshire & Telford/Wrekin, Solihull,
Youth Offending
12 Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Walsall,
Teams
Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire &
Herefordshire
Skills shortages and labour market projections in this region are broadly in line with those
nationally.
6.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The types of employers and number of establishments in the Yorkshire & Humberside
Community Justice sector is illustrated in the below table.
Strand Number of Details
establishments
Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, East
Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull
Drug Action Kirklees, Leeds, North East Lincolnshire
15
Teams
North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Rotherham
Sheffield, Wakefield, York
Probation 3 Yorkshire North, Yorkshire South, Yorkshire West
Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, East
Youth Offending Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, Kirklees, Leeds, North
15
Teams East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North
Yorkshire, Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield, York
The skills shortages and labour market projections in region are broadly in line with of the rest of
England.
7.14.10 Northern Ireland
The community justice sector can be divided by way of its work into the following five main areas
of activity or career pathways:
Working with Offending Behaviour
116 30/09/2010
The broad remit of agencies that work with offending behaviour is to protect the public,
operate and enforce court orders and prison licences, and rehabilitate offenders to law
abiding and constructive lives.
There are approximately 1019 people working in this pathway
Working with Victims Survivors and Witnesses
Organisations in this pathway, which are mainly third sector, provide support to the
victims, survivors and witnesses of crime in general (Victim Support) or some
organisation might specialise in a particular area of crime such as domestic violence or
rape (Rape Crisis UK).
Community Safety
Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) have been established in Northern Ireland
alongside the Community Safety Unit.
There are 26 CSPs covering every Local Authority (LA) area in Northern Ireland.
CSPs generally employ anywhere from 1 – 5 core staff who coordinate and lead the
partnership’s strategy though partnership working. Assuming the average size is 3
employees these partnerships employ approximately 80 people.
Substance Misuse
Drug and Alcohol Co-ordination Teams (DACTs) are multi agency, cross-sectoral
partnerships set up to implement the NI Drug Strategy at a local level. There are currently
four DACTs in Northern Ireland.
Like most of the Community Justice strand, substance misuse organisations are
predominately small third sector organisations with a handful of larger charities employing
approximately 500 or more staff. We currently do not have accurate figures to reflect
those who work for public sector substance misuse organisations.
Youth Justice
The Youth Justice Agency for Northern Ireland (YJA) oversees the Youth Justice system
in Northern Ireland. The YJA delivers a range of services, often in partnership with
others, to help children address their offending behaviour, divert them from crime, assist
their integration into the community, and to meet the needs of victims of crime.
There are 423 people delivering youth justice services in Northern Ireland.
The most prevalent employers in Community Justice in Northern Ireland are mapped below.
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
Probation Board NIACRO
Working with Offending
Northern Ireland
Behaviour Extern
(PBNI)
117 30/09/2010
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
Victim Support (UK wide)
Working with Victims,
Survivors & Witnesses Northern Ireland Women’s
Aid Federation
Community Safety Crime Concern
Partnerships (CSP)
Community Safety
Community Safety
Unit (CSU)
Drug & Alcohol ASCERT
Substance Misuse Coordination Teams
(DACTs)
Youth Justice NIACRO Include Youth
Agency (primarily
Youth Justice their Community &
Youth Conferencing
Services)
Qualifications
Most qualifications needed in the Community Justice sector in Northern Ireland are broadly in line
with England and Wales with the exception of the qualifications needed to be a probation officer
in Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland you must be a qualified social worker. Contact the
Probation Board for Northern Ireland for more information.
Skills Shortages
Some key skill shortages in the Community Justice workforce in Northern Ireland include:
Risk assessment and management
Challenges of working in partnership and in competition
Working with high risk offenders
Team leading in youth justice
Multi agency working with reference to young people
Competitive bidding
Employment and labour market forecasts
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts for Northern Ireland are broadly in line with
the UK.
118 30/09/2010
7.14.11 Scotland
The community justice sector can be divided by way of its work into the following five main areas
of activity or career pathways:
Working with Offending Behaviour
The broad remit of agencies that work with offending behaviour is to protect the public,
operate and enforce court orders and prison licences, and rehabilitate offenders to law
abiding and constructive lives.
lxiv
There are approximately 2,677 people working in this pathway
Working with Victims Survivors and Witnesses
Organisations in this pathway, which are mainly third sector, provide support to the
victims, survivors and witnesses of crime in general (Victim Support) or some
organisation might specialise in a particular area of crime such as domestic violence or
rape (Rape Crisis UK).
Community Safety
Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) have been established in Scotland. There are 26
CSPs covering every Local Government Area (LGA) area.
Key participants in these partnerships are the police, fire and local authorities, primary
care trusts / NHS health boards and third sector organisations.
CSPs generally employ anywhere from 1 – 5 core staff who coordinate and lead the
partnership’s strategy though partnership working. Assuming the average size is 3
employees these partnerships employ approximately 78 people.
Substance Misuse
Alcohol and Drug Action Teams (ADATs) are multi agency, cross-sectoral partnerships
set up to implement national drug strategy. There are currently 22 ADATs in Scotland.
Like most of the Community Justice strand, substance misuse organisations are
predominately small third sector organisations with a handful of larger charities employing
approximately 500 or more staff. We currently do not have accurate figures to reflect
those who work for public sector substance misuse organisations.
Youth Justice
When a young person offends, they may be referred to the Youth Justice Reporter,
unless the offence is particularly serious, in which case they may be referred to the
procurator fiscal and dealt with under the adult justice system. The Youth Justice
Reporter is an official within the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA). The
SCRA is a national body focused on children most at risk.
On referral to him/her, the Youth Justice Reporter may decide to take no further action,
refer the case to Sacro’s Youth Justice Service; refer the case for ‘voluntary measures;
this means that the young offender will be referred to the local authority to work
voluntarily; call a Children’s Hearing
119 30/09/2010
If the Youth Justice Reporter decides to call a Children’s Hearing, it will be in order to
decide whether ‘compulsory measures’ (as opposed to the voluntary measures) are
required.
If it is decided that compulsory guidance or support is necessary then a supervision
requirement will be made. A supervision requirement requires the local authority,
primarily through its youth justice team or criminal justice social services, to work with the
young offender and their family and can involve a number of different options.
There are 822 people delivering youth justice services in Scotland
The most prevalent employers in Community Justice in Scotland are mapped below.
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
Working with Offending Criminal Justice SACRO
Behaviour Social Work (CJSW)
Apex Scotland
Victim Support (UK wide)
Working with Victims,
Rape Crisis Scotland
Survivors & Witnesses
Scottish Women’s Aid
Community Safety Crime Concern
Community Safety
Partnerships (CSP)
Alcohol & Drug Turning Point (GB)
Action Teams
Addaction (England &
(ADATs)
Substance Misuse Scotland)
Phoenix Futures (England
& Scotland
Scottish Children’s SACRO
Reporters
Apex Scotland
Administration
(SCRA) Includem
Local Authority NCH Scotland
Youth Justice Social Services
(Children &
Families, Youth
Justice and Criminal
Justice Social
Services)
120 30/09/2010
Qualifications
Most qualifications needed in the community justice sector in Scotland are broadly in line with the
UK except for Criminal Justice Social Workers. In Scotland, the minimum qualification for social
work (including criminal justice social worker) has been raised to a four-year honours degree
course, replacing the old Diploma in Social Work.
Skills Shortages
Skills shortages in Scotland for Community Justice include:
Keeping up with policy and legislative change
Partnership working skills
Financial management – securing funding
ICT skills
Attracting appropriately skilled staff
Employment and Labour Market Trends
Employment labour market trends and forecasts are also broadly in line with the UK.
7.14.12 Wales
The community justice sector can be divided by way of its work into the following five main areas
of activity or career pathways:
Working with Offending Behaviour
The broad remit of agencies that work with offending behaviour is to protect the public,
operate and enforce court orders and prison licences, and rehabilitate offenders to law
abiding and constructive lives.
There are approximately 1,450 people working in this pathway in Wales
Working with Victims Survivors and Witnesses
Organisations in this pathway, which are mainly third sector, provide support to the
victims, survivors and witnesses of crime in general (Victim Support) or some
organisation might specialise in a particular area of crime such as domestic violence or
rape (Rape Crisis UK).
This strand employs approximately 8,705 people across the UK of whom the majority
work for Victim Support in England.
Community Safety
Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) have been established in Wales.
There are 22 CSPs covering every Local Authority (LA) area in Wales.
CSPs generally employ anywhere from 1 – 5 core staff who coordinate and lead the
partnership’s strategy though partnership working. Assuming the average size is 3
employees, these partnerships employ 66 people.
121 30/09/2010
Substance Misuse
Substance Misuse Action Teams (SMATs) in Wales are responsible for ensuring that the
national drugs strategy is delivered at a local level. There are 22 Welsh SMATs which
take strategic decisions on expenditure and service delivery within the four aims of the
National Drugs Strategy: treatment, young people, communities and supply.
Like most of the Community Justice strand, substance misuse organisations are
predominately small third sector organisations with a handful of larger charities employing
approximately 500 or more staff (Addaction England & Wales – 800 employees Turning
Point England & Wales - 2,000 employees). Approximately 5,000 people work within the
UK third sector of substance misuse. We currently do not have accurate figures to reflect
those who work for public sector substance misuse organisations.
Youth Justice
In Wales, the Youth Justice system comprises of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs). There
is a YOT in every LA in Wales. They are made up of representatives from the Police,
Probation Service, Social Services, Health, Education, Drugs and Alcohol Misuse, and
Housing Officers.
The YOT workforce has grown significantly and there are over 10,000 staff across
England and Wales who are supported by a Volunteer workforce that may equal that
number. Data Source unknown.
The most prevalent employers in Community Justice in Wales are mapped in the below.
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
National Probation Service NACRO (England & Wales)
(NPS) – England & Wales
Sova (England & Wales)
Working with Offending National Offender
Behaviour Management Service
(NOMS) – England &
Wales
Victim Support (UK wide)
Working with Victims, Rape Crisis (England &
Survivors & Witnesses Wales)
Welsh Women’s Aid
Community Safety Crime Concern
Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) –
Wales
Substance Misuse Action Turning Point (GB)
Substance Misuse
Teams (SMATs) – Wales
Addaction (England &
122 30/09/2010
Pathway Public Sector Third Sector
Wales)
Prism (Wales)
Youth Justice Board (YJB) NACRO (England & Wales)
– England & Wales
Youth Justice Sova (England & Wales)
Youth Offending Teams
YMCA (England & Wales)
(YOT) – England & Wales
Employment and labour market trends and forecasts, skills shortages and qualifications in Wales
are broadly in line with England.
123 30/09/2010
8.0 Fire & Rescue Services
8.1 Sector Description
lxv
The Fire and Rescue Service is the operational fire fighting body and employees 74,228 people
across the UK. Fire services in England, Wales and Scotland are based around local structures,
and in Northern Ireland there is one single service. The sector is divided into four sub strands or
occupational groupings:
lxvi
Local authority Fire and Rescue Services (71,428 employees)
lxvii
Civil Airport Fire Services (approximately 870 employees)
lxviii
Ministry of Defence Fire Service (approximately 1,750 employees)
Guernsey Fire and Rescue (65 Full-Time and 24 Part-time employees, including 32
lxix
Firefighters and 19 Retained Firefighters)
Occupational brigades provided by and to protect private companies, such as those in
the nuclear and petroleum industries
lxx
There are currently 63 local authority services across the UK, the Fire and Rescue Service in
lxxi
England has 41,634 fire fighters. These services have a duty to provide the following services:
Community Fire Safety – this covers a range of initiatives that are aimed at reducing the
number of fires and the number of deaths and injuries caused by fire.
Fire and Rescue Emergency Response: this is a service that responds to incidents and
makes sure that the risk of injury, loss of life and damage to property is minimised.
Emergency Planning – services that plan and prepare for large scale emergencies, for
example, large rail crashes, coastal pollution and severe floods.
Most services provide special services that respond to other types of incident, e.g. vehicle
accidents, trapped people and animals, storms and floods.
At Fire and Rescue Service level, services are also further subdivided:
Command: Large brigades such as the London Fire Brigade are divided into three
commands:
o Area: A service can able to be divided into areas – e.g. London used to be
divided into five geographical areas
o Divisional: A smaller geographical area, decided locally, - e.g. until 1986 London
was divided into eleven divisions
o Borough: Services are now aligned with local councils – e.g. due to the size of
London, its three commands also overlap with London Boroughs, so each
borough is a small division. It now has borough teams.
Most statutory fire fighting bodies consist of a fire authority and a fire service, with the authority
responsible for the political and administrative aspects of service provision, and the service for
delivering that provision. Local authorities in the UK have many other responsibilities as well as
provision of a fire brigade. In addition the armed forces, private fire brigades and airports all have
124 30/09/2010
their own fire fighting provision. Some of the specialised and private Fire and Rescue Services in
the UK include:
British Airports Authority Fire Service – airport fire services in the UK are
responsible for the protection of airports and aerodromes, and are
usually referred to as Rescue and Fire fighting Services. One of the
largest of these services is operated by the British Airports Authority.
Non BAA airports also provide their own fire services in order to comply
with legislation, such as London City Airport. The number and type of
appliances at an airport is determined by the category of airport, from 1
to 9, with category 9 airports dealing with the largest aircraft.
Defence Fire and Rescue Sector – the Ministry of Defence operates its
own fire and rescue service, which in 2004 was formed into the Defence
Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS). It is a combination of civilian, armed
forces and private contractors. It is the largest non geographical or local
authority Fire and Rescue Service in the UK with training, rank structure
and equipment similar to local authority counterparts.
Private and industrial Fire and Rescue Services – in some instances
large factories operate private industrial fire services to protect their
interests and provide on site instant response until local authority crews
arrive. Key examples of this are Ford and Pfizer.
Nuclear sites – British Nuclear Fuels and other power station operators
have their own on site fire services.
Ports – several large ports, such as Felixstowe, operate their own fire
services.
Event fire safety services – private event fire safety units operate across
the UK at large events e.g. air shows, regattas, concerts and film sets.
Occasionally they use the services of off duty fire fighters and other
emergency personnel. This cover normally consists of the provision of
one or two appliances and sometimes a rapid response or control
vehicle.
Fire services protecting royal properties – some state properties,
including the royal residences and the Palace of Westminster, are
protected by specialist private fire services, with the intention of
protecting sites of heritage and royal importance.
lxxii
Figure 1 below shows the breakdown of the workforce by country.
125 30/09/2010
Em ploym ent Estim ates by country
for the Fire and Rescue strand, 2007-08
Crow n Dependencies
Northern Ireland
1%
3% Other
2%
Scotland
13%
Wales
6%
England
75%
England Workforce Characteristics (as of 31 March 2008) lxxiii
Total number of whole time fire fighters is 30,580. Since 2004 whole time staff in post
have decreased by 3.9 per cent.
Retained duty system fire fighters (in 24-hour units of cover) decreased by 116 to 11,744
in 2008 – a decrease of 0.8 per cent on the previous year.
Fire control staff increased by 2.0 per cent compared to the same time last year, raising
the total to 1,522.
Non-uniformed staff numbered 7,800 – an increase of 5.26 per cent compared to last
year.
8.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs,
transferability of skills, career paths and opportunities for progression
Staff within the Fire and Rescue Authorities in England (and similarly across the UK) are either:
Operational staff (whole time and retained duty system firefighters) who spend most of
their career as active operational staff in prevention and intervention roles.
Fire and Rescue Service staff in a variety of other roles (managerial, technical,
administrative).
Operational staff can be either a:
Firefighter (employed full time) or
Retained duty firefighter who are contracted to be available for agreed periods of time
for fire-fighting purposes, but who could have alternative fulltime employment.
Generally applicants have experience in other uniformed services or as a part-time firefighter
which can be advantageous, although this is not essential.
Promotion options would include crew manager, then watch manager and possibly on to station,
group, area and brigade management. If you reach senior officer rank, you would be responsible
for writing detailed reports of incidents and carrying out management and policy work.
The main types of fire & rescue service staff are:
Fire control operators
General service staff
Fire control operators are uniformed personnel who are employed to work in fire and rescue
service control centres to answer emergency calls and deal with mobilising, communications and
126 30/09/2010
related activities. On a daily basis their work will entail liaising with police, ambulance, motoring
organisations, lifeboat teams and other authorities.
In addition, operators will have to ensure that all statistical information is collated and processed
from each incident attended and undertake other general administrative work. There is also an
important public relations aspect to the job. Operators will be expected to attend exhibitions,
county shows, Fire Station open days, careers conventions and receive visits from dignitaries,
local groups and other members of the public. Vocational training and courses to advance career
prospects and improve individual skills are encouraged. Through statutory examination boards
and promotion interviews, operators have the opportunity to apply for promotion through the rank
structure. There are posts as Group, Senior and Leading Fire Control Operators.
Additionally there general fire and rescue staff who are employed in a variety of other roles such
as administration, stores, mechanics, IT and radio technicians, cooks, cleaners and driving staff.
Promotion and related skills are numerous and varied given the wide variety of job opportunities
in these roles.
Fire Safety Inspectors and other authorised enforcement officers (can include firefighters) also
have statutory powers in order to carry out routine inspections, investigate fire safety related
offences and prohibit or restrict the use of un-safe buildings.
Career Progression
Career progression routes vary between sections of the sector. Within the Fire & Rescue
Services, the main routes for progression are through interview and Assessment and
Development Centres (ADCs). ADCs are used to identify individuals with potential to make the
step between firefighter and supervisory manager (crew manager), first line manager and middle
manager (station manager) and middle and strategic manager (area manager). Individuals
successful at ADC are provided with targeted development to enable them to realise their
potential at the next role. Finally, interviews are used to recruit individuals to specific posts and to
progress within each management banding (e.g. from crew to watch manager. Further detail on
this process is available via the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) website (
www.skillsforjustice-ipds.com ).
8.3 Information on pay scales in the sectorlxxiv
Firefighters - £21,157 - 28,199
Crew managers – £29,971 - 31,263
Station Managers - £36,365 – 40,109
Retained duty firefighters are paid a fee, which can be around £2,500 a year. They also
receive additional payments, according to their rank, for each incident they attend and for
any extra duties they carry out.
Fire control operator - £18,019 rising toward £22,524 with experience
Leading Fire Control Operator – £24,121
Senior Fire Control Operator – £24,741 - £25,678
127 30/09/2010
8.4 Information on entry requirements, application process
Firefighters
To be considered for selection you must be:
At least 18 years old;
Able to pass the statutory physical fitness test;
Able to pass the stringent medical and eye examination.
You may also be required to hold a full driving licence.
Positions as firefighters are open to graduates in all subjects, but a degree or formal further
education qualifications are not essential and entry without a degree or HND is common.
Personal qualities and physical attributes are more important than academic qualifications,
though a good general education is required, and GCSE or equivalent passes in English,
Mathematics and a science subject are particularly useful.
All candidates must pass a series of medical, physical fitness and job-related tests in addition to
being interviewed. Good, unaided vision and hearing are essential.
Some colleges work with local fire brigades to offer a Fire Service Pre-Recruitment Access
Course, which could be a good way to prepare for the selection tests. Contact your local college
to find out if this course is available in your area.
Each fire service recruits independently following national fire service recruitment procedures and
you should initially contact the personnel or recruitment department of the fire and rescue service
to which you intend to apply. They will be able to supply you with detailed information on entry
requirements, the fitness test, making applications, selection, training and career profiles. Most
fire and rescue services also display vacancy information on their own website. Details of local
fire services are available from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and http://www.fireservice.co.uk/.
Fire control operator
As with being a Firefighter you also need to be at least 18 years old to apply. It is essential that
you have a sound education, including at least GCSE English Grade C, keyboard skills and
proven experience of working and coping with stress.
During a two-year probationary period, training and development follows a programme at NVQ
level 3. This will require some private study. Fire Control Operator vacancies are generally
advertised in the following places: LGjobs.com and Local council websites.
General fire and rescue staff
General fire and rescue staff are employed in a variety of other roles such as administration,
stores, mechanics, IT and radio technicians, cooks, cleaners and driving staff. Application
process and requirements are dependent on the particular role. Visit your local fire brigade
through either the UK Fire Services Resource web page (http://www.fireservice.co.uk/) or Local
council websites.
128 30/09/2010
Some Fire and Rescue Services also operate direct entry recruitment processes to managerial
operational roles. (this is particularly the case in England & Wales)
8.5 Qualifications
Firefighters posts do require a general standard of education (some brigades will prefer
you to have GCSEs or equivalent)
After entering the service recruits work towards a qualification such as the NVQ Level 3 in
Emergency Fire Services or Level 2 in Fire Safety
Recruits may also be encouraged to work towards a specialist qualification such as a
Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) license for driving fire engines
If you are involved in fire safety and prevention work, individuals can take professional
qualifications leading to membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers and study
subjects such as fire risk engineering, fire safety, and fire safety management at degree
level
Fire control operators are required to have a sound education including at least GCSE
English Grade C
During a two-year probationary period, training and development follows a programme at
NVQ level 3.
As previously mentioned the variety of fire and rescue staff roles, qualifications are solely
dependent on the role. Visit your local fire brigade to find the qualifications associated the
job.
Initial Training and Development
All staff in operational and control roles undertake structured development, an assessment of
competency and systematic maintenance of skills. This training and development is based on the
National Occupational Standards for the sector and specific operating requirements and
guidance, such as the National Fire Service Manuals, standard operating procedures and
statutory requirements (e.g. those set by the HSE). There is variation in the delivery and
assessment of training and development across the different segments of the sector, although
they are assessed against common standards and qualifications are used extensively at key
parts of the development process.
8.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
The tight spending awards set out in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review are likely to
keep growth in the public administration (this includes the judicial activities and police and fire
services) at or around 1 per cent per year for the rest of the decade. In the long term government
spending on Public Administration & Defence is expected to increase at a lower rate than the
economy as a whole. As a result, a very small decline is projected over the period to 2017.
Competition is fierce with an average of about 150 applicants for each post, although this varies
considerably from service to service. Over the year 2007/08 there were 45,378 applications to
129 30/09/2010
join the Fire Service in England, with an estimated 7 per cent (i.e. 3,176) of these successful. In
2007/08, 19 FRSs did not recruit wholetime duty system firefighters, eleven did not recruit
retained duty system staff, 12 did not recruit fire control staff and 6 did not recruit non-uniformed
lxxv
staff for the year . On the whole, there is a very low staff turnover.
Full time and retained duty firefighters are mostly male and white. At March 2008 males in
England accounted for 96.7% of operational personnel. Over the last five years, the proportion of
lxxvi
women firefighters has increased from 2.4 per cent in 2004 to 3.3 per cent in 2008 . However,
the Home Office target from 2000 was to increase the percentage of women amongst uniformed
operational staff to 15% by 2009. Recruitment difficulties are mainly centred on the attracting of
diverse applicants to the Fire and Rescue Services across the UK, with targets in place to drive
up the representation of women and ethnic minorities.
8.7 Skills shortages
There is frequently a shortage of operational skills in the form of 'retained' (part-time) firefighters,
especially in small towns and rural areas. Additionally there are challenges with recruiting and
retaining applicants from a BME backgrounds.
8.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
Key skills and attributes needed by firefighters include:
Stamina and a high level of physical fitness
Ability to react quickly and remain calm in hazardous situations
High level of self-discipline
Ability to follow instructions and regulations
Excellent communication and team working skills
Ability to inspire confidence when dealing with members of the public
Initiative to deal with rapidly changing conditions
Good practical skills to operate a range of tools and equipment
Assertive approach to deal with possible obstacles to rescue work
Ability to write accurate incident reports which may be used by accident investigators and
insurance companies.
Firefighters could work full-time or as a part-time (retained) firefighter. If you are full-time, you will
usually work 42 hours a week, which includes day and night shifts to cover a 24-hour service. As
a retained firefighter, you would usually be based in rural areas or smaller towns. You may have
another job but you would make yourself available in emergency situations.
This job can be stressful and physically demanding and you will often work in very uncomfortable
situations, for example at heights or in enclosed spaces. All-weather work and exposure to
danger from collapsing buildings, vehicle fumes and explosions are all part of the job. Additionally
130 30/09/2010
you would wear protective clothing, and sometimes breathing apparatus, when responding to call-
outs, and you may have to carry heavy and awkward equipment.
As a new recruit, you will take part in a full-time induction training programme, which will
introduce fire safety standards and protective measures, fire prevention and safety education
work. This lasts between 12 and 16 weeks (18 weeks in Northern Ireland).
To prepare for the practical side of firefighting, you will train in areas such as:
Fire behaviour and firefighting
Basic rescue techniques and entering smoke-filled rooms
Fitting protective clothing and using breathing apparatus
Handling foam and other types of fire extinguishers
Using ladders, hoses, knots and other equipment
First aid, and health and safety.
When you have successfully completed your induction training, you will join a fire station for a
probationary period of up to two years. During this time you will work alongside, and learn from,
experienced firefighters. Your performance will be continually assessed.
Fire control operators need the following skills and attributes:
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to cope with repetitive work
Ability to respond to changing demands quickly
Common sense
No hearing defects
Good health
Stamina
Ability to concentrate and not be distracted
Capacity to cope with stressful situations and work under pressure
Self discipline
Clear speech.
Because this is a post that involves dealing with matters of life or death, you would also need to
be tactful, calm, polite, alert, patient, confident, methodical, responsible and reliable.
8.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a
sector from another area or sector
Points of entry into the sector are:
Firefighter
Fire control operator
131 30/09/2010
Competition is fierce with an average of about 150 applicants for each post, although this varies
considerably from service to service. Over the year 2007/08 there were 45,378 applications to
join the Fire Service in England, with an estimated 7 per cent (i.e. 3,176) of these successful. In
2007/08, 19 FRSs did not recruit wholetime duty system firefighters, eleven did not recruit
retained duty system staff, 12 did not recruit fire control staff and 6 did not recruit non-uniformed
lxxvii
staff for the year . On the whole, there is a very low staff turnover.
Personal qualities and physical attributes are more important than academic qualifications,
though a good general education is required, and GCSE or equivalent passes in English,
Mathematics and a science subject are particularly useful. Some colleges work with local fire
brigades to offer a Fire Service Pre-Recruitment Access Course, which could be a good way to
prepare for the selection tests. Contact your local college to find out if this course is available in
your area. Generally applicants have experience in other uniformed services or as a part-time
firefighter which can be advantageous, although this is not essential.
8.10 Job Profiles
Firefighter
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile186/
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/firefighter_job_description.jsp
Firefighter/Firefighting Manager
http://www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=62&catalogueContentID=633
Fire control operators
http://www.lgcareers.com/career-descriptions/protecting-your-community/fire-control-operator/
8.11 Case studies
Firefighter
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/firefighter_case_1.jsp
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=85&catalogueContentID=2735&parent=633
8.12 FAQs
What is a retained duty firefighter?
Retained firefighters are an essential part of the Fire & Rescue Service. They serve rural
communities, responding to pagers when an emergency call is received. A retained firefighter
must live or work within five minutes of the fire station. Flexibility is key and you will need to be
either self-employed or have an employer who is supportive and willing for you to leave work at a
moments notice to attend an emergency. If you are interested in becoming a retained firefighter,
contact your nearest retained station and speak to the Station Commander to discuss your
availability and to determine your suitability.
132 30/09/2010
What are the stages of the firefighter application process like?
If you wish to join the Fire and Rescue Service as a firefighter, you will need to complete and
pass the following stages:
1. Initial application - provides the Fire and Rescue Service with your personal details such
as work history or qualification and asks you questions about your suitability for the role
of a firefighter.
2. Psychological Tests – Applicant takes two tests in this stage, the psychological test and
National Firefighter Questionnaire. The National Firefighter Questionnaire is used to
assess the applicant’s attitude and motivation in relation to the seven key Fire Service
Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQA). The assessment contains 127 questions. The
psychological test covers three areas,
Working with numbers 32 questions covering six different scenarios which
require the applicant to perform combinations of addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division as well as estimations of numerical data.
Understanding information involves the applicant reading and understanding a
variety of written information. Applicants will need to extract the relevant
information from these to answer 25 questions covering six different scenarios.
Situational Awareness and Problem Solving - The test requires applicant's to
read descriptions of situations or scenarios that they are likely to face when
working as a firefighter. There are 30 questions that each require the applicant to
choose one of four available answers that most closely describe what they would
do in that situation.
3. Physical Test - Candidates will be asked to complete a Medical Screening Form prior to
undertaking any of these tests, this is to ensure that individuals are fit enough to
undertake them. There are currently six tests:
Enclosed Space
Ladder Climb
Casualty Evacuation
Ladder Lift
Equipment Assembly
Equipment Carry
4. Interview
5. Medical and References
When does the Fire and Rescue Services recruit for firefighters?
The Fire and Rescue Service recruit at different times of the year. Sometimes it can be several
years before a campaign is launched. There is no hard and fast rule on when they will recruit, it
depends on the funds available to recruit new firefighters, and also on how many firefighters are
expected to retire or leave the service.
133 30/09/2010
lxxviii
What are the eyesight standards for firefighters?
The eyesight standards are as follows:
Uncorrected distance vision no worse than 6/18 in the better eye, and 6/24 in the worse
eye.
Corrected distance acuity should be at least 6/9 with both eyes open and reach 6/12 in
the weaker eye.
Near vision - should be able to read N12 at 30 cm with both eyes open unaided.
Have normal binocular field of vision.
Have an appropriate level of colour perception. Individuals with either normal colour
vision or slightly abnormal green colour vision are suitable for appointment to the fire
service. The recommended test procedure uses the Ishihara test as the initial screen,
with two additional tests if the applicant fails the screening, to determine the severity and
type of colour vision deficiency.
8.13 Source of additional information
Direct Gov – Extraordinary careers – FRS: http://extraordinary.direct.gov.uk/index.aspx
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) - http://www.fbu.org.uk/
UK Fire Service Resource: http://www.fireservice.co.uk/.
LGjobs.com
Local council websites - http://www.lgcareers.com/meet-the-employers/find-your-local-
council/find.htm
British Airports Authority -
http://www.baa.com/portal/site/baa/menuitem.4cc07e5c2e691c7935ebbee59328c1a0/
Defence Fire Service - http://www.fireservicesassociation.net/
Skills for Justice – http://www.skillsforjustice.com
Communities and Local Government (CLG) – www.communities.gov.uk
(See survey by CLG regards Firefighters in England
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firefightersurvey2008)
8.14 Regional Informationlxxix
8.14.1 East Midlands
The East Midlands has 5 fire and rescue services. The five services are:
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service
Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service
134 30/09/2010
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service
Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service
Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the East Midlands are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.2 East of England
The East of England has 6 fire and rescue services. The six services are:
Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service
Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service
Essex County Fire & Rescue Service
Hertsfordshire Fire & Rescue Service
Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service
Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the East Midlands are broadly in line with
those nationally.
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the East of England are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.3 London
London has one fire and rescue service, the London Fire Brigade. Skills shortages, future
forecasts and qualifications for London are broadly in line with those nationally.
8.14.4 North East
The North East has 4 fire and rescue services. The four services are:
Cleveland Fire & Rescue Service
County Durham and Darlington Fire & Rescue Service
Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service
Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the North East are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.5 North West
The North West has 5 fire and rescue services. The five forces are:
Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service
Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service
135 30/09/2010
Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the North West are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.6 South East
The South East has 9 fire and rescue services. The ten services are:
Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service
Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service
Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service
Kent Fire & Rescue Service
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the South East are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.7 South West
The South West has 6 fire and rescue services. The six services are:
Avon Fire & Rescue Service
Cornwall County Fire & Rescue Service
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service
Dorset Fire & Rescue Service
Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the South West are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.8 West Midlands
The West Midlands has 5 fire and rescue services. The four services are:
Hereford & Worcester Fire & Rescue Service
Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service
136 30/09/2010
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service
West Midlands Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the West Midlands are broadly in line with
those nationally.
8.14.9 Yorkshire & Humberside
The Yorkshire & Humberside has 4 fire and rescue services. The four services are:
Humberside Fire & Rescue Service
North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Skills shortages, future forecasts and qualifications for the Yorkshire & Humberside are broadly in
line with those nationally.
8.14.10 Northern Irelandlxxx
The Fire and Rescue Service in Northern Ireland is divided into 4 main areas – Northern,
Southern Western, and Eastern - and covers an area of over 5,500 square miles and a population
of 1.7 million. The four area commands are supported by 14 Districts, placed across the country
and providing a community focus for NIFRS activity. There are 68 fire stations across Northern
Ireland. Current workforce figures for NIFRS are:
901 full fire fighters
980 retained fire fighters
12 volunteer fire fighters
59 regional control staff
218 non uniformed support staff
53 part time caretakers
Similarly to the rest of the UK, the NIFRS has a gender imbalance in the makeup of the force,
with a strong bias towards male employment. There is a gender outreach programme in place
which is seeking to actively address this issue and in 2006-07 received 14% of its applications
from women for retained recruitment. Skills shortages and qualifications are broadly in line with
that of the UK.
8.14.11 Scotland
Currently, Scotland has eight fire and rescue services only two of which remain under unitary
control, the other six coming under joint boards of between three to 12 constituent councils
depending on the size of the area concerned. The 8 fire and rescue services vary widely in size
and structure, reflecting the nature of their different areas. Each fire and rescue service covers a
unique mixture of urban and rural communities, with population densities ranging from over 3,000
per km 2 in the cities to 2 per km 2 in the remote highlands.
137 30/09/2010
lxxxi
Table 1: Headcount of Fire and Rescue Service Workforce as of 31 March 2010
Number
Fire and Dumfr
Rescue Lothia
ies Highlan
Service - Centr Grampia n and Strathcly Taysid Scotla
and Fife d and
Staffing al n Border de e nd
Gallo Islands
s
way
(1)
Wholetime operational
Firefighter 147 54 227 174 55 471 1,367 260 2,755
Wholetime
operational 242 103 370 318 130 739 2,058 393 4,353
Sub -Total
Retained Duty System
Firefighter 111 169 77 308 732 242 468 165 2,272
Retained
Duty
155 225 102 437 1,038 305 585 216 3,063
System
Sub-Total
Control
Control
18 17 23 29 20 29 77 21 234
Sub-Total
Other Support Staff
Community
1 - 2 - 11 1 - 4 19
Fire Safety
Other 52 25 44 87 70 179 586 67 1,110
Other
Support
53 25 46 87 81 180 586 71 1,129
Staff Sub-
total
(2)
Volunteer
Watch
- 1 - 1 24 - 29 - 55
Manager
Crew
- 1 - 2 18 - 18 3 42
Manager
Firefighter - 5 - 21 110 - 215 25 376
Volunteer
- 7 - 24 152 - 262 28 473
Sub-Total
All Staff 468 377 54 895 1,421 1,253 3,568 729 9,252
138 30/09/2010
Total 1
All Staff
(excluding 54
468 370 871 1,269 1,253 3,306 701 8,779
volunteers) 1
Total
As with the Fire Service across the UK there are challenges around attracting diverse groups to
enter the service. Effort has been made to remedy this but limited impact is showing so far. The
Scottish Government, in collaboration with the services, is considering a range of good practice
initiatives to improve this situation. Additionally, as with many public services, the impact of any
spending reviews is likely to impact on matching funding to resources and continuing to deliver to
target.
Skills shortages and qualifications in Scotland are broadly in line with England.
8.14.12 Wales
The three Welsh Fire and Rescue Service Authority areas in Wales are as follows:
Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service – covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion,
Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea
North Wales Fire & Rescue Service - Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire,
Gwynedd, Wrexham
South Wales Fire & Rescue Service - Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff,
Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen, Vale of
Glamorgan.
Skills shortages and qualifications in Wales are broadly in line with England.
There were 1,956 applications received in Wales in 2006-07.
During 2006-07 women accounted for 19 per cent of all successful applications whilst people
from ethnic minority backgrounds accounted for 1.8 per cent.
lxxxii
Gender of Fire and Rescue Service Personnel – Wales: 2008-9
Male Female Total
Wholetime 1620 (97%) 51 (3%) 1671
Retained 1907 (96%) 71 (4%) 1978
Fire Control 23 (18%) 105 (82%) 128
Non-operational 269 (42%) 376 (58%) 645
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Total 3819 (86%) 603 (14%) 4,422
lxxxiii
8.14.13. Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service :
The Service resources are centred on one Whole-time/Retained Station on Guernsey and a
Retained Station on Herm.
There are 59 Whole-time and 12 part-time Retained Firefighters employed by the Service. This
includes the Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Head of Operations, Head of Fire
Safety, Training Officer, Assistant Training Officer and a Station Manager. Additionally there is a
Control Manager, 5 Control Officers and 6 civilian staff providing support services.
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9.0 Legal Serviceslxxxiv
9.1 Sector Description
The legal services sector is diverse in terms of the people working within it, the way in which they
work and are employed and the type of work undertaken. It is a sector that employs a large
number of individuals and generates significant income. The Office of National Statistics Annual
Business Inquiry found that in 2003 the legal sector generated £19 billion or 1.73% of the UK’s
gross domestic product; in the same year, in England and Wales alone, the legal sector was a net
exporter of legal services to the value of £1.5 billion.
Standard national datasets suggest that in 2010 around 376,800 people worked in the UK legal
services sector as their main job. The majority of the workforce consists of females; their
proportion has been consistently over 50% over the past decade (56% in 2010). Part time
workers account for 17% of the workforce. In addition, the voluntary and not-for-profit sectors
provide advice and assistance on a wide range of legal matters. It is estimated that there are
c.3230 not for profit organisations providing such services in England and Wales, including
Citizens Advice Bureaux and law centres . Members of the legal profession are also employed in
significant numbers in a range of organisations, including central and local government and
industry.
The geographical distribution of the workforce is strongly London-centred: in 2010 42% of the
total UK legal workforce was based in central London. The vast majority (86%) of those
undertaking legal activities as their main job were based in England, another 7% in Scotland, and
the smallest proportions in Wales (3%) and Northern Ireland (4%). This is broadly consistent with
the distribution of the UK workforce as a whole.
There are three separate jurisdictions within the UK: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland. There are, therefore, three regulatory, representative and legislative frameworks within
which the legal sector operates.
The legal services sector and the types of legal services provided by it are diverse. Many,
although not all, legal services are ‘restricted’ ie are the subject of regulation and can only be
undertaken by qualified and regulated lawyers. The types of legal services that are currently
restricted and therefore regulated are:
• The right to conduct litigation
• The right of audience in the courts
• Certain probate services
• The provision of immigration services
141 30/09/2010
• Conveyancing
• Notorial services
• Acting as a commissioner for oaths.
However, there are many activities that would generally be regarded as legal services,
traditionally undertaken by lawyers, which are not reserved or, therefore, regulated, such as the
writing of wills, employment, housing and family disputes not resulting in litigation and a wide
range of non-contentious (ie not involving court proceedings) business transactions.
Nevertheless, where such activities are undertaken by members of a recognised and regulated
legal profession the conduct of those professionals is regulated.
The regulatory frameworks within which such regulation occurs in the UK are changing. The
framework in England and Wales is already being transformed, a process that has been driven by
government. Changes are underway in Scotland and Northern Ireland too.
The ‘Review of the Regulatory Framework for Legal Services in England and Wales’ , led by Sir
David Clementi, resulted in the Legal Services Act 2007. This Act paves the way to a new
regulatory framework for the legal profession in England and Wales, to be overseen by a Legal
Services Board (LSB). The Act establishes an ‘Alternative Business Structures’ within which the
legal profession can practise and a new Office for Legal Complaints, providing a common
gateway for consumers wishing to complain about the provision of legal services.
In a separate piece of legislation the Government introduced the regulation of claims
management services for the first time . The regulation of will writers is also being considered.
This would extend the range of legal services that are restricted and therefore regulated.
An independent review commissioned by the Law Society and published in March 2009, Review
of the Regulation of Corporate Legal Work, (also known as the Smedley Report) called for urgent
modernisation of the regulation of corporate legal work as the current arrangements for regulating
the legal services sector are not robust enough. The report concludes that there is a need for
greater expertise and understanding at the SRA; for greater engagement with the profession and
its clients; and for a sophisticated regulatory approach which recognises the differences between
different parts of the solicitors' profession.
This report does not directly comment on the regulation of other firms. The Law Society
commissioned Lord Hunt of Wirral to consider the recommendations from the Smedley Report in
the context of a wider review, and come to his own conclusions on the regulation of corporate law
firms. From his interim report, Lord Hunt remains convinced that the model for statutory,
profession-led regulation proposed by Sir David Clementi and then enshrined in the Legal
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Services Act 2007 is the right model to use and that relatively minor adjustments to the internal
governance of the Law Society could be of enormous benefit to the regulation of law firms.
In addition to the changes initiated by the Clementi review, the recommendations of a review of
the procurement of legal aid in England and Wales, commissioned by the Lord Chancellor and
undertaken by Lord Carter of Coles, have challenged the way many solicitors’ firms in England
and Wales are structured and legal aid work is procured and remunerated, see section 4 for more
details.
In Scotland, the Scottish Parliament’s Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007
established the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission and allow a wide range of legal advisers
(in addition to solicitors and advocates) to provide legal advice that is publicly funded.
In Northern Ireland a review group chaired by Sir George Bain took the outcome of the Clementi
review as the starting point for a review of legal services in that jurisdiction. Although the group
concluded that Clementi-style reforms would not be appropriate for Northern Ireland, some
changes to the regulatory framework have been recommended.
In each of the jurisdictions the changes have been met with mixed reactions from members of the
legal professions and their representative and regulatory bodies. Whilst some of the changes
being introduced are welcomed, others are being robustly opposed. A common message from
each of the jurisdictions is that the independence of the legal profession from government, an
essential feature of a well functioning democracy, must not be compromised.
Employers:
This section describes the main employers within the legal services strand and outlines their role
in the UK justice sector.
At Government level, the following have key responsibilities within the legal services strand:
• The Ministry of Justice (England & Wales) is responsible for developing the law on tort
and damages in England and Wales through legislative and procedural change. They also work
closely with the Legal Services Commission to ensure the legal aid system delivers value for
money for taxpayers and is responsible for legal services reform and civil law reform.
• The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) has statutory responsibility for administering the
legal aid system in Scotland. SLAB is a non-departmental public body responsible to the Scottish
Executive and is based in Edinburgh. SLAB maintains a Register of Solicitors who can provide
criminal legal assistance and who work within a code of practice that sets out how criminal legal
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assistance should be provided. Solicitors providing civil legal assistance must register with SLAB
and be subject to quality assurance by way of peer review.
• The Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission (NILSC) is responsible for the provision
of publicly funded legal services in that jurisdiction. It is an executive non-departmental public
body, sponsored by the Northern Ireland Court Service. It operates within provisions in the
Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.
Table 1 (below) lists the key employers, and the sections that follow outline their roles in more
detail. Annex 2 lists both key employers and other stakeholders, and provides more detail about
their responsibilities and involvement with the Justice sector.
Table 1: UK Legal Services Employers
ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND NORTHERN
IRELAND
Government Government
PUBLIC Scottish
Legal Service Legal Service
Government
barristers work in barristers work in
Government Government
organisations organisations
such as the such as the
Home Office and Home Office and
the Office of Fair the Office of Fair
Trading Trading
Crown Crown Crown Office Public
Prosecution Prosecution Procurator Fiscal Prosecution
Service offers Service offers Service Service for
both training both training Northern Ireland
contracts and contracts and
pupillages pupillages
Organisations Organisations
Government
offering a small offering a small
Legal Service for
numbers of numbers of
Scotland (GLSS)
training training
contracts: contracts:
Large Local Large Local
Authorities Authorities
Government Government
Legal Service Legal Service
(GLS) (GLS)
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ENGLAND WALES SCOTLAND NORTHERN
IRELAND
PRIVATE Law Firms Law Firms Law Firms Law Firms
The Magic
Circle:
Allen & Overy,
Clifford Chance,
Freshfields
Bruckhaus
Deringer,
Linklaters and
Slaughter and
May
Silver Circle
firms include:
Ashurst, Herbert
Smith,
Macfarlanes, SJ
Berwin and
Travers Smith.
Regional firms
include
Eversheds, Irwin
Mitchell,
Osborne Clarke,
Shoosmiths,
Weightmans and
Wragge & Co
Legal services organisations work in the following key areas:
• The right to conduct litigation
• The right of audience in the courts
• Certain probate services
• The provision of immigration services
• Conveyancing
• Notorial services
• Acting as a commissioner for oaths.
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The primary service provided by a law firm is to advise individuals or organisations about their
legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent their clients in civil or criminal cases, business
transactions, and other matters in which legal advice and other assistance are sought.
Solicitor firms vary enormously in atmosphere, training opportunities and methods, working hours,
salary and location, for example:
• City firms account for one third of all training contracts on offer in the UK. Many of these
are commercially based with international connections, but there is still a great variety of firms
that you can work for. The term ’City firms’ is becoming increasingly difficult to apply to law firms
as the boundaries between them and international firms blur. City firms are based in central
London but many also have offices overseas, which mean that they can classify themselves and
the work they do as international. Despite the generic term, City firms do vary in culture: some are
quite relaxed and friendly while others are very driven and competitive. The nature of the work
mean that long hours are more common than not. The larger City firms take on a large number of
trainees (80 to over 100) each year, while some of their smaller competitors might only taken on
ten or 12.
• International firms vary in size from around 400 to well in excess of 1,200 lawyers alone.
They are, and need to be, huge, with offices in London, Europe and around the world. Allen &
Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Slaughter and May are
the five firms which comprise the Magic Circle. They consistently have the highest earnings per-
partner and earnings per-solicitor in the UK. When the Magic Circle became more select, a new
group sprang up: the Silver Circle. Silver Circle companies tend to specialise in advising top UK
clients and include Ashurst, Herbert Smith, Macfarlanes, SJ Berwin and Travers Smith.
• Regional firms, such as Eversheds, Irwin Mitchell, Osborne Clarke, Shoosmiths,
Weightmans and Wragge & Co have offices throughout the UK and their headquarters outside
London. Other regional firms have a strong base in one particular location, such as Newcastle-
based Dickinson Dees and Leeds-based Walker Morris.
• Niche firms tend to be quite small and make their money and reputation by specialising in
either one very specific area of law or several related areas. Their professional strength and
appeal lie in the extensive expertise of their solicitors. Niche Firms include the and litigation
specialists Forsters.
There are a range of professional bodies representing various job roles within the legal services
sector. The Institute of Paralegals and the Scottish Paralegals Association represent the interests
of paralegals in England & Wales and Scotland respectively. There are associations for Legal
Secretaries, Law Librarians, Patent Attorneys and Legal Executives.
Other Stakeholders:
Numerous other bodies and organisations have an interest in the legal services strand and its
workforce. The Stakeholder Map shown below provides an overview of the main stakeholder
groups identified. Annex 2 lists key employers and other stakeholders, and provides more detail
about their roles and involvement with the legal services strand.
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Figure 1: Legal Services Stakeholders
Associations and Trade Unions
For example
Employers Government
In the public, private For example:
Institute of Paralegals; Scottish Paralegal and third sectors (see Ministry of Justice Scottish Government
Association; Association of Law Costs Section 2)
National Assembly for Wales
Draftsmen; Institute of Trade Mark Northern Ireland Office
Attorneys; Institute of Legal Executives; The Office of the Attorney General
Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys; The The Enforcement of Judgments Office
Coroners Society of England and Wales;
The Legal Defence Union Justices' Clerks'
Society; Magistrates' Association. Non-Departmental Public
Bodies
For example:
The Law Society of England and Wales
The Solicitors’ Regulation Authority
Service Users LEGAL SERVICES Audit Scotland
Members of the public STAKEHOLDERS The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments
Commission
Bar Standards Board
Legal Services Commission
Education & Training Providers Legal Complaints Service
For example The Law Society of Scotland
Faculty of Advocates
Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Other Stakeholders Scottish Legal Aid Board
Queen’s University Belfast For example: Law Society of Northern Ireland
General Council of the Bar of Northern
HR/Training & Development
Ireland
Not-for-Profit Organisations Networks, Investors in Northern Ireland Legal Services
For example: People UK, Awarding Commission
Citizens Advice Bureau Law Centres Council for Licensed Conveyancers
Bodies, Sector Skills
The Fellowship of Willwiters and The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
Councils, Alliance of Sector
Probate Practitioners The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Skills Councils, UK
Government Legal Service
Commission for Employment
Government Legal Service for Scotland
and Skills (see below)
Table 2 (below) provides an overview of the size of the Justice Sector workforce by strand
indicating that the numbers employed in Legal Services rank 2nd highest behind Police and Law
Enforcement in Skills for Justice’s footprint.
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Table 2: Size of the Justice Sector Workforce by Strand including Legal Services
STRAND NUMBERS EMPLOYED
Policing and Law Enforcement 321,828
Legal Services 376,800
Custodial Care 77,609
Community Justice 76.963
Fire and Rescue Services 74,223
Court and Tribunal Services 26,652
Prosecution Services 11,258
Forensic Science 8,947
TOTAL: 894,320
Based on the latest Labour Force Survey, the UK Legal Services workforce totals 376,800. This
is based on people working in the UK legal services sector as their main job. Figure 2 below
shows the breakdown of the workforce by country.
Figure 2: UK Legal Services Workforce by Country
148 30/09/2010
9.2 Information on careers available and new emerging jobs, transferability
of skills, career paths and opportunity for progression
The Legal Services sector in the UK is made up of a wide variety of job roles. These are, for the
purpose of this document, divided into Lawyers, Paralegal Legal Support Staff and Judiciary.
Also included is information on careers in the other UK countries and Legal Advice.
Entry Requirements to the Legal Profession
There are a variety of routes into the Legal Profession. To qualify as a Lawyer you will need to
have achieved a Higher Education equivalent Level 6 qualification. This can be undertaken via
the academic or vocational route. See Chart 1. Route Maps of Entry for the Legal Profession
(Legal Services Board) on page 6 for further details.
Lawyers:
Initial Training and Development:
Professional training is also required in the vast majority of cases to qualify as a Lawyer.
The following are categorised as Lawyers by the Legal Service Board (LSB):
1) Solicitor*
2) Barrister*
3) Licensed Conveyancer
4) Notary
5) Legal Executive
6) Costs Lawyer*
7) Patent Attorney*
8) Trade Mark Attorney*
(N.B. Those with a * require a degree as the minimum entry requirement.)
1) Solicitor:
There are more than 100,000 solicitors currently working in England and Wales. As a solicitor
you are a confidential adviser who will have direct contact with your clients, combining legal
expertise and people-skills to provide expert legal advice and assistance in a range of situations.
Everyday issues -Solicitors provide expert guidance on the issues people regularly face such as
buying and selling houses, drawing up wills, and dealing with relationship breakdown.
Promoting business - They help businesses with the legal side of commercial transactions.
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Protecting the rights of individuals - Solicitors advise people of their rights, ensuring they are
treated fairly by public or private bodies, and that they receive compensation when they have
been unfairly treated.
Supporting the community - Many solicitors spend a portion of their time providing free help for
those unable to pay for legal services.
Solicitors can represent clients personally in the lower courts (magistrate court, county court and
tribunal) and with specialist training are also able to represent them in higher courts (crown court,
high court, court of appeal).
To qualify as a Solicitor you need to complete either a Law degree or a non-Law degree and a
Graduate Diploma in Law qualification. You will then need to complete the Legal Practice Course,
undertake a Training Contact and complete the Professional Skills course.
2) Barrister
Barristers practise as self-employed, referral professionals. Until recently, it was not normally
possible for members of the public to go to a barrister direct. They needed to use a solicitor or
some other recognised professional or Licensed Access client. However, the Bar Council has
relaxed its rules relating to direct access. There are now, therefore, three main routes of access
to a barrister:
i) Professional Client Access
The following people may instruct barristers either on behalf of clients or on their own account:
In any matter for all types of work:
o Solicitors
o Other authorised litigators
o Parliamentary agents, patent agents, trademark agents and Notaries
o European lawyers registered with the Law Society
o Employed barristers and/or European lawyers registered with the Bar Council
o Legal Advice Centres designated by the Bar Council
o For details about how to become a designated see the Legal Advice Centres page
In limited areas of work:
o Licensed conveyancers in matters in which they are providing conveyancing services
o Foreign lawyers for advice only
ii) Public Access:
Members of the Public, and commercial and non-commercial organisations are now able to
instruct barristers directly on most civil matters. The Public Access Rules came into force in July
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2004 and members of the public are now able, in many circumstances, to instruct a barrister
direct.
iii) Licensed Access:
Licensed access is a licensing system whereby organisations or individuals who are suitable to
instruct barristers because they have expertise in particular areas of the law can apply to the Bar
Council to be licensed to instruct barristers directly in those areas. The licence can cover advice
or representation or both and permit licensees to instruct barristers either on their own affairs or
on behalf of their clients.
In terms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), many barristers also act as mediators or
arbitrators.
To qualify as a Barrister you need to complete either a Law degree or a non-Law degree and a
Graduate Diploma in Law qualification. You then need to complete the Bar Professional Training
Course or Bar Vocational Course, be Called to the Bar and complete a period of Pupilage.
3) Licensed Conveyancer:
Licensed Conveyancers are legal specialists who work on behalf of clients buying or selling
property.
This area of work is open to all graduates. Non-graduate entry is possible as the minimum entry
requirements are four GCSE passes, including English, and personal qualities and skills are often
more important than the subjects they have studied. However, many licensed conveyancers are
also qualified solicitors or legal executives.
Training consists of a minimum of two years' supervised practical on-the-job training and part-
time study or distance learning time to obtain the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC)
professional qualification. Successful completion leads to the award of the CLC Limited Licence,
entitling one to be employed as a licensed conveyancer in organisations recognised by the CLC
as providing 'qualifying employment'.
Qualified solicitors, legal executives and law graduates are eligible for exemptions from all of the
foundation-level examinations and some of the practical training. All exemptions, however, are
dealt with on an individual basis by the CLC.
The average completion time for the CLC limited licence is around three to four years for students
who have no exemptions.
As a limited licence holder, one could progress to take on supervisory responsibilities, perhaps
leading a property team of legal and administrative staff. Opportunities for specialisation are
limited, but some job advertisements emphasise residential or commercial conveyancing. The
availability of internal opportunities for career development may depend to a great extent on
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company size. One may find it advantageous to move jobs regularly if one wishes to get on.
There are some opportunities to work as a locum.
After three further consecutive years’ experience in the profession, conveyancers may apply for
the full Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) licence, which allows them to become self-
employed or enter into partnerships.
4) Notary:
Notaries are members of the legal profession who authenticate signatures and documents for
commercial firms involved in international trade as well as for private individuals.
All candidates who wish to become notaries must either have a qualifying law degree or be
qualified as solicitors or barristers. They must be registered with the Faculty Office of the
Archbishop of Canterbury and complete the Postgraduate Diploma in notarial practice. This is
offered by the University of Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education by distance learning
over two years.
Newly qualified notaries must practise for the first two years under the supervision of a qualified
notary. It is possible to take further courses in languages and foreign law to qualify as a scrivener
notary, a profession traditionally practised only in the City of London.
Notaries may become partners in law firms or set up their own companies.
5) Legal Executive Lawyer:
A Legal Executive Lawyer is a qualified lawyer specialising in a particular area of law. Legal
Executive Lawyers are trained legal professionals in England & Wales and Northern Ireland.
The areas of law that Legal Executive Lawyers most often specialise in are as follows:
o Civil litigation (such as Personal Injury; Debt recovery; Housing; Employment)
o Criminal litigation (either Defence or Prosecution)
o Family law
o Conveyancing
o Public law work (such as working in a Local Authority; in Government; Welfare benefits;
or Immigration)
o Private client (such as Finance; or Probate and wills)
o Corporate (Company or Commercial law)
o Legal Practice (Practice management; or Costs and accounts work).
To become a qualified Legal Executive Lawyer, one must work towards becoming a Fellow of the
Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX). For this, you would take a series of professional ILEX exams
and gain practical experience in a legal environment.
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Most trainee legal executives work in a law firm and study part-time. Trainees could start in a law
firm as a clerical assistant or legal secretary, possibly through temporary work or an
Apprenticeship scheme. Alternatively, one could study for the first set of ILEX exams at college
(full- or part-time) before looking for work in a law firm.
To get onto ILEX courses, it is usually recommended that one has at least four GCSEs (A-C)
including English, or equivalent qualifications. Many trainee legal executives have more than the
minimum, such as A levels or degrees.
If you don't have at least four GCSEs (A-C), one can take the ILEX/City & Guilds Level 2
Certificate in Vocational Paralegal Studies as an alternative. If one has relevant work experience,
you could also apply to ILEX for ones experience to be recognised in place of academic
qualifications.
If one has passed a qualifying law degree in the past seven years, one will be exempt from some
of the first stage of ILEX exams.
6) Costs Lawyer:
In English Law, a Costs Lawyer is a legal professional who has attained rights of audience and
rights to conduct costs litigation. A Costs Lawyer must obtain Fellowship status from the
Association of Law Costs Draftsmen and successfully complete an advocacy course.
Law costs draftsmen ensure that a firm's clients are properly charged for work undertaken on
clients’ behalf. They also help apportion costs between the two sets of legal advisers at the end
of long and complex cases. In some instances, they represent clients in court when there is an
issue over costs.
Law costs draftsmen are concerned with all aspects of solicitors’ costs that are controlled by both
statute and common law. They are concerned with costs relating to all areas of the law and deal
with every conceivable type of legal matter that touches upon the subject of costs.
7) Patent Attorney:
A patent attorney is a member of a profession of around 1,500 members who have a particular
expertise in the field of intellectual property. Intellectual property encompasses patents, industrial
designs, design rights and related copyright areas, from computer programs to the shape of
teapots, and trademarks. Patent attorneys work either in patent departments of large industrial
organisations, in private firms of patent attorneys, or in government departments, and their work
deals with obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights.
Also known as Patent Agent, all patent attorneys need a scientific or technical background.
Nowadays, this usually means a science or engineering degree from a university or similar
institution that confers eligibility for both UK and European qualifying examinations.
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A scientific training, however, is not enough. The would-be patent attorney must have the ability
to acquire, and enjoy exercising, legal skills of drafting, analysis and logical thought, and,
particularly the skill to use the English language aptly and accurately, in written work. In addition,
because patents are increasingly international, a knowledge of at least French and German,
although not essential, is highly desirable. Patent attorneys act at an exciting interface between
disciplines of law, language and science.
Giving a scientist the legal skills to be a patent agent is usually by means of in-house training in a
patent agent's office or in a company patent department, supplemented by other studies.
Admission to either Register requires the passing of examinations and completion of a training
period. It is usual for a person entering the profession to take four or five years to qualify.
8) Trade Mark Attorney:
Trade Mark Attorney are specialist legal professionals qualified to advise clients about protecting
and enforcing their trade mark rights. Trade marks are used to identify a person's or company's
products or services and may take many forms, including logos, shapes and company names.
Trade mark attorneys also advise clients about other intellectual property issues, such as
copyright and licensing.
Entry without a degree or HND/foundation degree is sometimes possible (based on experience).
The minimum educational entry requirements are five GCSEs in approved subjects (A-C grade)
and two A-levels (or equivalent) in approved subjects. However, a degree is often preferred.
You can only call yourself a trade mark attorney if you are listed on the Institute of Trade Mark
Attorneys (ITMA) Register of Trade Mark Agents. In order to be registered, trainees must have a
minimum of two years' practice as a trade mark agent and pass the five Foundation Level
Examinations and three Advanced Level Examinations. Trainees usually study for the
examinations while working as trade mark agents.
There are essentially only two grades in the profession: trainee and qualified. However, with
experience and training there is a lot of scope for career progression. The ultimate achievement
is probably to become a partner in a firm, if not the owner.
On the following page is a pictorial representation of routes into the various Lawyer professions:
Chart 1. Route Maps of Entry for the Legal Profession (Legal Services Board):
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155 30/09/2010
Paralegals:
Paralegal is the term used to describe non-lawyers (i.e. people who are not qualified solicitors or
barristers) who do legal work - regardless of their job title.
There are half-a-million paralegals in the UK, although most paralegals do not have that job title -
they are referred to as administrators, managers, clerks, etc. But regardless of job title, if you
spend a significant amount of time applying, administering, interpreting, monitoring, enforcing or
advising on the law then one may also be a legal professional - a paralegal.
There is no fixed definition of a paralegal, and it has a very broad meaning as it is essentially a
default term used to describe a huge variety of non-lawyers who do legal work. Someone is not
automatically a paralegal just because they work in a legal environment (e.g. a receptionist in a
law firm or an administrator in the civil or criminal justice court systems). They not only work in the
traditional legal profession (law firms or in-house legal departments). They work in a wide variety
of areas, e.g. government agencies; corporations; trades unions; professional bodies; local
councils; the armed forces and uniformed services; educational institutions; the voluntary sector
and finance & insurance. These paralegals use a wide variety of job titles, e.g. contracts
managers, law clerks, investigators, health & safety officers, probation staff, enforcement officers,
regulatory body staff, company secretaries, prosecution caseworkers, claims assessors, trading
standards staff, NHS claims handlers, HR administrators, insurance claims staff.
Unlike for solicitors and barristers, there are no formal qualifications or accreditations that you
need to obtain. Therefore there are no formally defined career routes. There are also no defined
acts that regulate the work of Paralegals.
Some paralegals begin their careers by learning on the job. However there are large numbers of
paralegals who will have completed several years of training to become lawyers, however they
may have been unable to gain full accreditation, for example due to the lack of Training Contracts
or Pupilages.
As the profession of paralegal continues to grow in recognition then it is possible that it may
eventually be regulated. Part of the Institute of Paralegals remit is to establish a recognised
educational and skills framework for the paralegal profession.
Willwriter:
There are no entry requirements to the Willwriters courses offered by the Fellowship of
Professional Willwriters and Probate Practitioners, the professional body in the UK representing
Willwriters and Probate Practitioners. The courses go from Level 2 to Level 6 (i.e. from GCSE
level to Degree). The courses are distance learning-based. Once qualified will writers can set up
on their own, join a solicitors firm as a paralegal or become employed by a will writing company
as a consultant.
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Legal Support Staff:
Legal Support Staff is the term used to describe people who work in a legal environment (e.g. law
firms, legal departments, courts, the police and many government departments etc.) who do not
do legal work themselves, but support those who do.
The type of support varies widely, it may be secretarial, accountancy or post room support, or it
may be business support: marketing, HR, finance, learning & development and the like. The
common thread is that individuals work in a legal environment and so need to be aware of the
legal, ethical, regulatory and risk management implications inherent in working in that legal
environment.
Legal Secretaries and Personal Assistants (PAs):
Legal Secretaries and PAs help lawyers with their work and they are an integral part of a team of
legal professionals. Career prospects are very good, as the more experience gained, the higher
the salary. Legal Secretaries can be promoted to PAs or Office Managers, and some go on to
become Paralegals or Legal Executives with the right training, as their role provides them with a
good grounding in law and legal procedures.
Legal Cashier:
The legal cashier's job can be ideal for someone who finds the idea of working for a solicitors or
law firm appealing but doesn't have the experience or desire to work directly on legal matters.
Normally a legal cashier is responsible in one form or another for the finances of the company. As
the financial needs of solicitors and law firms are quite unique, a niche has opened up for those
with the skills and expertise to carry out these kinds of jobs.
There are a number of different jobs which could be described as a legal cashier:
Legal Accountant :
The responsibilities of a legal accountant are in many ways similar to a traditional accountant
however there are some distinct differences unique to the industry. For example the large
transfers of money for house purchases and legal fees are quite different to that of a traditional
business. Though the tasks carried out by a legal accountant may differ from other industries
many of the skills required to carry out the role are quite transferable.
Financial Controller:
Typically a financial controller has a lot more strategic role than a legal accountant, they might not
be as involved in the day to day, invoices, payments and bank reconciliations but are still heavily
involved in how a legal firm manages it finances.
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Accounts Manager:
This might be a role for someone working within a legal firm who has extensive accounts
experience yet isn't a qualified accountant. They don't have the legal ability to carry out accounts
like their professionally qualified colleague but might still carry out very similar tasks on a day to
day basis.
Practice Manager:
A far more administrative role typically, though it may still involve aspects of a finance common to
most legal cashier roles. A Practice manager would normally have responsibility for the teams
responsible for the administration and non legal functions of the firm.
Legal cashiers can also often be given the responsibilities within a company beyond the financial.
These tasks often include
Marketing:
While legal firms might not instantly seem like they require a great deal of marketing just like
every business they need new customers. For most firms they would never reach the size where
they could afford or justify a full time member of staff dedicated to marketing the firm. However
often the responsibility of attracting new customers can be passed to someone with the
appropriate skills. Often a legal cashier has just the right mix of abilities and enthusiasm to be
given the task of marketing.
HR:
The responsibility for human resources is another important part of a business which a small legal
firm may not be able to dedicate a member of staff. As legal cashiers often manage a large
number of the firm's staff often HR can be allocated to them.
Administration:
The amount of paper work and administration that a team of practicing solicitor can create is
surprising. Consequently there is a team of administrators at most firms dedicated to organizing
the firm and their work.
Legal Information Professionals:
Legal Information Professionals can work in many different areas of the law. They may be
academic law librarians, information officers in a law firm, librarians in a court service or
government department, knowledge managers or document and record managers.
Legal Information Professionals find material and information from a variety of sources. These
include: electronic online databases (for information ranging from legislation to company or
financial information); print resources such as text books, reference books and law reports;
journals and other documents both internal and external to the organisation in which they work.
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The Legal Information Professional has a vital role within their organisation and must be able to
combine many skills. They need to have an excellent grasp of current affairs, a working
knowledge of IT and how to exploit it, and an interest in the law.
They also need good communication and people skills. Management skills (such as project
management, budgeting and staff management) are a key to their career progression.
Patent Examiner:
Patent examiners assess applications for patents, which are granted to inventors to give them the
right to stop other people using, selling or making their inventions.
Patent examiners check that the invention is new, not merely an adjustment to something which
already exists, by carrying out searches using UK and foreign patent specifications, technical
literature and databases, and make sure the application meets the formal requirements of The
UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) or European Patent Office (EPO) and is technically sound.
Patent examiners develop specialist expertise within a particular area such as biotechnology or
electrical engineering, but opportunities may arise to change subject specialisms.
Relevant degree areas include physical, mathematical and applied sciences, life science, medical
science and engineering. In particular, the following subjects may increase your chances:
o electrical engineering;
o electronics;
o computer technology;
o elecommunications.
Entry is not possible with an HND only; a good honours degree in science or engineering is
essential. A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not needed.
Relevant industrial experience is advantageous, but need not necessarily be specifically related
to patents and documentation.
There is considerable scope to develop a career with The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) ,
by moving either laterally to broaden experience in one of the six directorates (patents;
trademarks and designs; copyright; intellectual property policy; finance and administration; and
resources) or upwards to gain seniority. All promotions depend on the individual's rate of
progress.
After about two to four years as an associate patent examiner, the next step is to patent
examiner. Six to nine years after joining, promotion may be to senior patent examiner. Promotion
to this level is not dependent on there being a vacancy; it is non-competitive, giving a clear career
structure. Beyond this level, vacancies are advertised and applications are competitive. You may
be able to train as a general manager and move to other government offices.
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Career progression with the European Patent Office (EPO) is determined by merit and seniority.
Initial appointments are subject to 12 months' probation. Following training, the patent examiner
has full responsibility for his or her own work, taking part in opposition work (similar to a tribunal
hearing) and eventually being expected to chair such proceedings. Some patent examiners also
take the examinations to qualify as European patent attorneys. Other possibilities for
development include tutoring, training or short-term missions to other countries. Experienced
examiners may become managers, or members of boards of appeal.
The main career move for patent examiners is to become a Patent attorney.
Career Progression:
Legal Executive lawyers have the option to become solicitors in one or two years after becoming
Fellows and usually are exempt from the training contract graduates must complete to qualify as
solicitors. However, new emerging rights means that the role and standing of Legal Executive
lawyers and solicitors is moving ever closer.
Once qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister you can eventually be appointed as a Judge.
With experience, in private practice Solicitors could eventually become a partner in a firm of
solicitors, or as a commercial solicitor they could manage an in-house legal department.
Alternatively, a Solicitor could choose to take further training to become a Barrister. Barristers
occasionally transfer to become a Solicitor.
Barristers, Solicitors and Advocates (Scotland) can join the Queens Council normally with over 10
years of practice.
Queen's Counsel (QC):
QC are senior lawyers - barristers or solicitors - who are recognised experts in a particular field of
law. Many of them are also experienced and accomplished advocates, although this is not a
prerequisite for selection.
Each year there is a competition announced for the appointment as QC. Outcomes of the
competition are announced the start of the following year.
Appointment to QC is made by The Queens Council Selection Panel of 9 members including non-
lawyers. Chaired by a non-lawyer. It is independent of the legal profession and Government.
Recommendations are passed to the Secretary of State for Justice and the Lord Chancellor, who
then put recommendation to The Queen.
The Scheme is funded entirely by fees from the applicants. Application fee is £2,200 (+VAT).
Successful applicants will then pay a further £3,500 (+ VAT).
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QCs will lead their legal team in and out of court and may also be appointed to head government
inquiries or take on other quasi-judicial roles that require the skills of an impartial arbiter. Big and
complex cases often require a QC (or "silk") who is then supported by at least one junior barrister.
Becoming a QC has also been long regarded as a stepping stone to becoming a judge.
Judges and Magistrates:
Judges preside over law courts and make judgments based on the evidence presented.
Their responsibilities vary. They may preside over criminal trials for more serious offences. In
these cases they:
o listen to information and evidence presented in court
o come to a decision based on the facts
o instruct and advise the jury on evidence during court proceedings.
o pass sentences.
They may preside over civil cases and hearings in family courts. Judges who hear civil and family
cases will often try to resolve difficulties between parties. This may be by awarding compensation
or making a legally binding order for the parties to behave in a particular way.
Judges work in courts and in offices referred to as 'chambers'. Their working hours vary,
depending on when the court is in session, and can involve evening work.
In court, they wear wigs and gowns, and must observe court traditions and formality. They
sometimes travel between courts and may have to spend nights away from home.
An advisory committee set the salary levels for judges, in consultation with a senior judge, the
Master of the Rolls
.
There are just over 3,600 judges in England, a number that is likely to increase.
Once they have qualified and have a number of years' experience as a practising Solicitor or
Barrister, they could consider applying for a judicial appointment. They can do this either as a
salaried judge full or part-time, or on a fee-paid basis while continuing in practice, sitting for a
minimum of 15 days a year.
Solicitors and Barristers who are Government lawyers are eligible to apply for all judicial posts but
they must not hear cases involving their own department when sitting as a fee-paid judge. This
restriction has the biggest impact on CPS lawyers who wish to sit in the criminal courts, because
the CPS brings most prosecutions. However, arrangements have been made for a limited number
of Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) posts to hear only non-CPS prosecuted work.
The Crown Prosecution Service is the principal prosecuting authority in England and Wales. They
are responsible for determining the charge in all but minor cases, advising the police during the
early stages of an investigation, reviewing cases submitted by the police for prosecution,
preparing cases for court and the presenting those cases at court. The role of the Service is to
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prosecute cases firmly, fairly and effectively when there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic
prospect of conviction and when it is in the public interest to do so.
The hierarchy of judiciary in England and Wales is as follows:
1) Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor
2) Heads of Division
3) Justices of the Supreme Court
4) Court of Appeal
5) High Court
6) Circuit Judges
7) Recorders
8) Masters and Registrars
9) District Judges & Deputy District Judges
10) District Judges & Deputy District Judges (Magistrates’ Court)
11) Magistrates
1) Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor:
The Lord Chancellor is a politician and member of the Cabinet. They are no longer the head of
the judiciary; this responsibility has now passed to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
This change was introduced in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. The Lord Chief Justice is also
the presiding judge of the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal.
Although the Lord Chancellor is no longer a judge, they still exercises disciplinary authority over
the judges, jointly with the Lord Chief Justice. They also have a role in appointing judges. The
Lord Chancellor is responsible for the efficient functioning and independence of the courts.
Lord Chancellor is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the
Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the
Prime Minister.
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is the independent commission that selects
candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals
whose jurisdiction extends to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
2) Heads of Division:
There are five Heads of Divisions. They are:
a. Lord Chief Justice (already covered in 1) above)
b. Master of the Rolls:
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The Master of the Rolls is one of the Heads of Division and is Head of Civil Justice. As the
leading judge dealing with the civil work of the Court of Appeal, he or she presides over the most
difficult and sensitive cases.
They still have responsibility for documents of national importance, being Chairman of the
Advisory Council on Public Records and Chairman of the Royal Commission on Historical
Manuscripts.
The Master of the Rolls is, by virtue of his office, a judge of the Court of Appeal and is the
President of its Civil Division. He is responsible for the deployment and organisation of the work
of the judges of the division as well as presiding in one of its courts.
He normally sits with two Lords Justices of Appeal and there is occasionally a third member such
as a retired Lord Justice. The most complex cases traditionally come before the Master of the
Rolls.
The Master of the Rolls is second in judicial importance to the Lord Chief Justice. He is consulted
on matters such as the civil justice system and rights of audience.
c. President of the Queen's Bench Division:
The President of the Queen's Bench Division is responsible for the work of the Queen's Bench
Division.
The Queen's Bench Division is one of the three Divisions of the High Court, together with the
Chancery Division and Family Division. Outside London, the work of the Queen's Bench Division
is administered in provincial offices known as district registries. In London, the work is
administered in the Central Office at the Royal Courts of Justice.
The Divisional Court, the Admiralty Court, the Commercial Court and the Technology and
Construction Court are all part of the Queen's Bench Division.
The work of the Queen's Bench Division consists mainly of claims for: damages in respect of
personal injury, negligence, breach of contract, and libel and slander (defamation). Also, non-
payment of a debt, and possession of land or property.
The selection panel comprises the President of the Supreme Court or his nominee as Chair, the
Lord Chief Justice or his nominee, the Chairman of the JAC or their nominee and a lay member
of the JAC. The Chairman of the panel has a casting vote in the event of a tie.
The panel reports to the Lord Chancellor, who can then accept the selection, reject it, or require
the panel to reconsider. If practical the panel must consult the current holder of the office for
which a selection is being made.
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d. President of the Family Division:
The Family Division of the High Court deals with cases ranging from probate (wills) to the most
difficult and sensitive situations involving families.
As well as the President - who is a member of the Court of Appeal - the Family Division consists
of 19 High Court Judges. It deals with:
o Divorce, including disputes over children, property or money;
o Adoption, wardship and other matters involving children; and
o Judgments on behalf of those who are unable to make decisions for themselves, such as
persistent vegetative state victims.
The Family Division also deals with undisputed matters of probate - the legal recognition of the
validity of a will - in the Probate Registry of the Family Division in London, and the 11 probate
registries in England and Wales.
e. Chancellor of the High Court:
The Chancellor of the High Court is head of the Chancery Division.
The Chancellor of the High Court - known as the Vice Chancellor prior to the Constitutional
Reform Act 2005 - is the president of the Chancery Division of the High Court and vice-president
of the Court of Protection.
The Chancery Division deals with the resolution of disputes involving property in all its forms,
ranging from commercial, business, intellectual property and competition disputes to its traditional
work relating to companies, partnerships, mortgages, insolvency, land and trusts. The Chancellor
of the High Court is also an ex officio judge of the Court of Appeal.
The Heads of Division are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of a selection panel
convened by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
The selection panel comprises the President of the Supreme Court or his nominee as Chair, the
Lord Chief Justice or his nominee, the Chairman of the JAC or their nominee and a lay member
of the JAC. The Chairman of the panel has a casting vote in the event of a tie.
The panel reports to the Lord Chancellor, who can then accept the selection, reject it, or require
the panel to reconsider. If practical the panel must consult the current holder of the office for
which a selection is being made.
By law, candidates for the post must be qualified for appointment as a Lord Justice of Appeal or
to be a judge of the Court of Appeal.
In practice, Heads of Division are generally appointed from among the Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary (the Law Lords) or Lords Justices of Appeal.
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3) Justices of Supreme Court:
The Supreme Court gives the final verdict in all types of cases in the United Kingdom, other than
criminal matters in Scotland.
The 12 justices will also offer opinions on major points of law and play a part in the development
of law around the world. The justices will hear some cases from the Commonwealth. The justices
will also resolve any legal disputes caused by devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland.
The court will deal only with cases that the justices consider to be the most important. Their
rulings will be limited, as now, to a small number of cases they know will have far-reaching
implications.
To become a Supreme Court justice you must have been a senior judge for at least two years or
a qualified lawyer for at least 15 years. When there is a vacancy, the justice secretary, also
known as the Lord Chancellor, will set up a selection commission. It will consult senior judges
who are not putting themselves forward for the court, along with the justice secretary and key
figures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The justice secretary can accept or reject a
nomination. The prime minister then makes a final recommendation to the Queen, who makes the
appointment.
4) Court of Appeal:
The judges of the Court of Appeal are the Heads of Division and the Lords Justices of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal is based at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, but has occasional sittings
elsewhere in England and Wales. It consists of a Civil Division and a Criminal Division, which
between them hear appeals in a wide range of cases covering civil, family and criminal justice. In
some cases a further appeal lies, with leave, to the Supreme Court, but in practice the Court of
Appeal is the final court of appeal for the great majority of cases.
The Civil Division hears appeals from the High Court, county courts and certain tribunals such as
the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal. Its President is the Master
of the Rolls. Cases are generally heard by three judges, consisting of any combination of the
Heads of Division and Lords Justices of Appeal.
The Criminal Division hears appeals from the Crown Court. Its President is the Lord Chief Justice.
Again, cases are generally heard by three judges, consisting of the Lord Chief Justice or the
President of the Queen’s Bench Division or one of the Lords Justices of Appeal, together with two
High Court Judges or one High Court Judge and one specially nominated Senior Circuit Judge.
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The Heads of Division and Lords Justices of Appeal also sit on occasion with one or more High
Court Judges in the Divisional Court, which hears appeals to the High Court from magistrates’
courts and certain judicial review cases at first instance.
All Court of Appeal judges are senior judges with lengthy judicial experience. Appointment is by
The Queen on the recommendation of a selection panel convened by the Judicial Appointments
Commission. The Heads of Division are selected in practice from the Lords Justices of Appeal,
who in turn are selected from the ranks of the High Court Judges.
5) High Court:
High Court judges are assigned to one of the three divisions of the High Court - the Chancery
Division, the Queen's Bench and the Family Division.
The High Court judges currently appointed in England and Wales deal with the more complex and
difficult cases.
High Court judges usually sit in London, but they also travel to major court centres around the
country as well as sitting in London. They try serious criminal cases, important civil cases and
assist the Lord Justices to hear criminal appeals.
The Queen's Bench Division deals with contract and tort (civil wrongs), judicial reviews and libel,
and includes specialist courts: the Commercial Court, the Admiralty Court and the Administration
Court. The Queen's Bench Division consists of about 60 judges, headed by the Lord Chief
Justice.
The Family Division, which deals with family law and probate cases, consists of about 19 judges
headed by the President of the Family Division.
The Chancery Division deals with company law, partnership claims, conveyancing, land law,
probate, patent and taxation cases, and consists of 17 High Court judges, headed by the
Chancellor of the High Court. The division includes three specialist courts: the Companies Court,
the Patents Court and the Bankruptcy Court. Chancery Division judges normally sit in London, but
also hear cases in Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle.
High Court judges are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor,
after a fair and open competition administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
High Court judges must have had a right of audience - ¬ the right of a lawyer to appear and speak
as an advocate in a court case - for all proceedings in the High Court for at least ten years, or
have been a circuit judge for at least two years.
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6) Circuit Judges:
Circuit judges are appointed to one of seven regions of England and Wales, and sit in the crown
and county courts within their particular region.
Some circuit judges deal specifically with criminal or civil cases, while some are authorised to
hear public and/or private law family cases. Others may sit more or less on a full-time basis in
specialised civil jurisdictions, such as Chancery or mercantile cases, or as judges of the
Technology and Construction Court.
Some circuit judges may be asked by the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ) to sit in the Criminal Division of
the Court of Appeal. There are currently over 600 circuit judges throughout England and Wales.
Circuit judges must be lawyers who have held a 'right of audience' (the right to appear in court as
an advocate) for at least ten years, and should generally also have served either part-time as a
recorder on criminal cases or full-time as district judges on civil cases before they can be
appointed.
Some circuit judges have been appointed as senior circuit judges, taking on additional
responsibilities, for example the running of the largest court centres.
They are appointed by the Queen, on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, following a fair
and open competition administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Some judges sit part-time in retirement and are known as deputy circuit judges.
7) Recorders:
This is a fee-paid post open to any fully qualified solicitor or barrister with at least ten years'
practice before the Crown or County Courts.
Recorders are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, after a
fair and open competition administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Recorders may sit in both Crown and County Courts, but most start by sitting in the Crown Court.
Their jurisdiction is broadly similar to that of a circuit judge, but they will generally handle less
complex or serious matters coming before the court.
Recordership is often the first step on the judicial ladder to appointment to the circuit bench.
Appointments are for five years, and are usually automatically extended by the Lord Chancellor
for further successive terms of five years.
Recorders are required to manage cases actively as well as to determine claims at trial. A
recorder’s duties include assisting the parties to prepare for trial, presiding over court proceedings
and delivering judgments in both applications and contested trials.
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Recorders are expected to sit for at least 15 days a year but not normally for more than 30 days a
year. Recorders may choose whether to count training days as sitting days. Newly appointed
recorders have to attend a Judicial Studies Board residential induction course and to sit in with a
circuit judge for one week. A Royal Warrant will then be issued and the recorder’s first week of
sitting will be supervised. Recorders also attend periodical continuation courses lasting two days
every three years.
8) Masters and Registers:
Masters and registrars are the procedural judges for the majority of the civil business in the
Chancery and Queen's Bench Divisions.
A master is a procedural judge who at first instance deals with all aspects of an action, from its
issue until it is ready for trial by a trial judge - usually a High Court judge. After the trial the master
resumes responsibility for the case.
They comprise: the Senior Master and nine Queen's Bench Division masters; the Chief Master
and five Chancery masters; and the Chief Registrar and five bankruptcy registrars. One of the
Queen's Bench Division masters is the Admiralty Registrar.
The Senior Master is also the Prescribed Officer for Election Petitions, the Central Authority for all
foreign judicial matters, the Prescribed Officer for election disputes, the designated person
responsible for High Court enforcement officers and the Queen's Remembrancer. The Queen's
Bench and Chancery masters and bankruptcy registrars deal with most of the day-to-day work
arising within their areas of jurisdiction, and in certain circumstances may also try actions. The
majority of cases do not reach a trial as they are disposed of by summary trial, mediation or
negotiated settlement.
Masters have a nationwide jurisdiction. District Registries and judges in the Registries are limited
to particular areas.
Masters and registrars are appointed by the Queen, after a fair and open competition
administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission. The statutory qualification for the offices
of master of the Queen's Bench Division, master of the Chancery Division, Admiralty Registrar
and registrar in bankruptcy of the High Court is a seven-year right of audience in relation to all
proceedings in any part of the High Court, or all proceedings in County Courts or Magistrates'
Courts.
Masters and registrars are normally drawn from the ranks of deputy masters and registrars.
Deputy masters and registrars are appointed by the Judicial Appointments Commission. The
statutory qualification is the same as that for full-time office holders; a seven-year right of
audience for all proceedings in any part of the High Court, or all proceedings in County Courts or
Magistrates' Courts.
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Their jurisdiction is the same as that for full-time office-holders. Appointments are for five years,
and are usually automatically extended for further successive terms of five years.
9) District Judges & Deputy District Judges:
District judges are full-time judges who deal with the majority of cases in the county courts.
A district registry is part of the High Court situated in various districts of England and Wales,
dealing with High Court family and civil business. District registries are often co-located at county
courts when the District Judges are sitting.
The work of district judges involves a wide spectrum of civil and family law cases such as claims
for damages and injunctions, possession proceedings against mortgage borrowers and property
tenants, divorces, child proceedings, domestic violence injunctions and insolvency proceedings.
District judges are full-time judges who deal with the majority of cases in the county courts. They
are assigned on appointment to a particular circuit and may sit at any of the county courts or
district registries of the High Court on that circuit. A district registry is part of the High Court
situated in various districts of England and Wales, dealing with High Court family and civil
business. District registries are often co-located at county courts when the district judges sitting
there will case-manage High Court cases.
District judges are appointed by the Queen, following a fair and open competition administered by
the Judicial Appointments Commission, and the statutory qualification is a seven-year right of
audience - the right of a lawyer to appear and speak as an advocate for a party in a case in the
court - in relation to all proceedings in any part of the Supreme Court, or all proceedings in county
courts or magistrates' courts.
The Lord Chancellor will normally only consider applicants who have been serving Deputy District
Judges for two years or who have completed 30 sittings in that capacity. There are currently over
400 District Judges in post, including 18 who sit in the Principal Family Division of the High Court
in London.
Deputy district judges are appointed by the Lord Chancellor after a fair and open competition
administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission, and the statutory qualification is the
same as that for appointment as a district judge - a minimum of seven years' right of audience in
any part of the Supreme Court, or all proceedings in county courts or magistrates' courts.
Deputy district judges sit on a fee-paid basis in the county courts and district registries of the High
Court for between 15 and 50 days a year. In general their jurisdiction is the same as that of a
district judge.
Appointments are for five years, and are automatically extended by the Lord Chancellor for
further successive terms of five years - subject to the office holder's agreement and the retirement
age of 65.
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10) District Judge (Magistrates’ Court) & Deputy Judge (Magistrates’ Court):
District judges (magistrates' courts) are full-time members of the judiciary who hear cases in
Magistrates' Courts. They usually deal with the longer and more complex matters coming before
the Magistrates' Courts.
District judges (magistrates' courts) hear criminal cases, youth cases and also some civil
proceedings in Magistrates’ Courts. They can be authorised to hear cases in the Family
Proceedings Courts. Some are authorised to deal with extradition proceedings and terrorist
cases. They are also authorised to sit as Prison Adjudicators.
District judges (magistrates' courts) usually hear cases alone. By virtue of their office they are
Justices of the Peace.
District judges (magistrates' courts) are appointed by the Queen, on the recommendation of the
Lord Chancellor, following a fair and open competition administered by the Judicial Appointment
Commission.
The statutory qualification is a seven-year right of audience - the right of a lawyer to appear and
speak as an advocate for a party in a case in the court - in relation to all proceedings in any part
of the Supreme Court, or all proceedings in county courts or magistrates' courts. Additionally they
will have usually served as deputy district judges (magistrates' courts) for a minimum of two years
or 30 days' sittings.
Deputy district judges (magistrates' courts) sit on a fee-paid basis in the Magistrates' Courts, and
for a minimum of 15 days a year. During this period, reports on their performance are collected
from pupil-master judges - experienced district judges (magistrates' courts) who provide support
and guidance to their fee-paid colleagues. In general, the jurisdiction of a deputy district judge
(magistrates' courts) is the same as that of a district judge (magistrates' courts).
Deputy district judges (magistrates' courts) are appointed by the Lord Chancellor after a fair and
open competition administered by the Judicial Appointments Commission, and, prior to
appointment, are usually practising barristers and solicitors with a good knowledge of criminal law
and procedure. Sometimes, the Lord Chancellor may appoint other lawyers not in practice but
who fulfil the statutory eligibility requirements and who have relevant experience, such as justices'
clerks.
11) Magistrates:
Magistrates are trained, unpaid members of their local community, who work part-time and deal
with less serious criminal cases, such as minor theft, criminal damage, public disorder and
motoring offences.
All magistrates sit in adult criminal courts as panels of three, mixed in gender, age and ethnicity
whenever possible to bring a broad experience of life to the bench. All three members of the
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panel have equal decision-making powers but only one member, the chairman, speaks in court
and presides over proceedings. A qualified legal adviser is available to the panel at all times.
Magistrates do not require legal training. However, all magistrates must undertake a compulsory
programme of practical training which prepares them to sit in court.
Each magistrate should sit for at least 26 half-days each year.
Magistrates deal with over 95% of all criminal cases, either in the adult court, or in the youth
court.
Magistrates hear less serious criminal cases, such as minor theft, criminal damage, public
disorder and motoring offences. They commit serious cases such as rape and murder to the
higher courts, consider bail applications, deal with fine enforcement and grant search warrant and
right of entry applications. Magistrates cannot normally order sentences of imprisonment that
exceed 6 months (or 12 months for consecutive sentences) or fines exceeding £5,000.
Magistrates also decide many civil matters, particularly in relation to family work. When sitting in
the Family Proceedings Court, magistrates deal with a range of issues affecting families and
children.
Magistrates’ civil jurisdiction also involves the enforcement of financial penalties and orders such
as those in respect of non-payment of council tax.
The Lord Chancellor appoints magistrates on the advice of local advisory committees. When
applying to become a magistrate an application form must be filled in, references are taken up
and at least one, usually two interviews are held before a decision is made.
Following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 transitional arrangements for the appointment of
magistrates have been put in place. In this interim period recommendations on the appointment
of magistrates continue to be made by local advisory committees. These are then passed to the
Lord Chief Justice for approval, before being submitted to the Lord Chancellor to make the
appointment.
Local advisory committees try to meet the needs of local benches, in terms of the numbers
required with the aim of maintaining a balance of gender, ethnic origin, geographical spread,
occupation, age and social background.
The retirement age for magistrates is 70.
Magistrates are unpaid but may claim expenses and an allowance for loss of earnings.
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Tribunals:
Tribunals form part of the civil justice system.
There are many tribunals in England and Wales, covering a wide range of areas affecting day-to-
day life. Some are administered through local authorities (for example the School Exclusion
Panels), some by government departments (e.g. Valuation Tribunals) and others through the
Tribunals Service, an agency of the Ministry of Justice. Some tribunals extend to Scotland and
Northern Ireland (for example for tax and immigration or asylum).
The Tribunals Service administers a two-tier tribunal system: a First–tier Tribunal and an Upper
Tribunal, both of which are split into Chambers. Each Chamber comprises similar jurisdictions or
bring together similar types of experts to hear appeals.
The Upper Tribunal primarily, but not exclusively, reviews and decides appeals arising from the
First–tier Tribunal. Like the High Court, it is a superior court of record as well having the existing
specialist judges of the senior tribunals judiciary at its disposal it can also call on the services of
High Court judges.
This two-tier structure is headed by the Senior President, who stands independent from the Lord
Chief Justice.
Tribunals often sit as a panel, incorporating a legally qualified tribunal chairman, as well as panel
members with specific areas of expertise. They hear evidence from witnesses but decide the
case themselves. Tribunals have limited powers (depending on the jurisdiction of the case) to
impose fines and penalties or to award compensation and costs. Other types of tribunal decisions
might result in the allowance or disallowance of a benefit; leave or refusal to stay in the UK or the
extent of provision of special educational help for school-age children.
Many cases involve individuals putting their own case, without legal assistance, so the system
needs to be accessible to all. Tribunal judges often help to ensure this, by guiding non-legally
qualified parties through the necessary procedures, if necessary.
A tribunal or Chamber President is responsible for the day-to-day judicial administration of their
tribunal or (within the new simplified two-tier structure) their chamber. They act as a vital link
between the Senior President of Tribunals; the judicial officers of their tribunal, and the senior
judiciary outside the Tribunals Service.
Tribunal judges are legally qualified and responsible for ensuring the individual tribunal hearings
they chair make the correct decision in law.
Tribunal members, are the specialist non-legal members of the panel hearing the case. Not every
panel includes non-legal members.
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Coroners:
The role of the Coroner is to record and investigate all deaths which are:
o sudden
o unexpected
o violent
o in lawful custody
or which might come into these categories.
There are other occasions when a death will be reported to the coroner, e.g. when no doctor has
treated the deceased during his or her last illness.
Coroners are independent judicial officers. They are barristers, solicitors or medical practitioners
of not less than five years standing.
When not engaged in their coronal duties, coroners (other than whole-time coroners) continue in
their legal or medical practices. They are required to appoint a deputy and may appoint an
assistant deputy to act in their stead if they are out of the district or otherwise unable to act.
Deputies and assistant deputies have the same professional qualifications as the coroner.
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Legal Services England and Wales – a summary
Title Numbers Regulatory Representati Key roles and Practising Qualification
body ve Body functions arrangements
Solicitor c.134,400 Solicitors’ The Law All areas of legal c. 76% in private Degree level
qualified Regulation Society of practice, including practice, ie firms, academic law,
Authority – a England and advocacy in the usually organised Legal Practice
c.108,400 subsidiary of Wales lower courts. as partnerships Course,
practising the Law Solicitors with the two years in
Society additional Others ‘employed’ practice as a
qualification of in trainee solicitor
‘solicitor advocate’ commerce,
have in addition full government,
rights of audience in courts etc
the higher courts.
Solicitors have a
direct relationship
with clients.
Barrister c.15,200 Bar Standards The General A Barrister has c.80% are self- Degree level
Board – an Council of the rights of audience employed academic law and
independent Bar, known as before all Courts members of the Bar Vocational
part of the Bar the Bar and is trained for practising Bar Course. Title
Council Council courtroom advocacy working in awarded at this
and providing Chambers; others point but 12
specialist legal are ‘employed’ eg months’ pupillage
advice/opinions. in courts, (supervised
Clients can normally government. practice) must be
only access a Follow the cab undertaken to
barrister through a rank rule which gain full practising
solicitor, although requires barristers rights.
some direct access to take cases in
is now possible, their field of
especially for clients expertise in the
who are themselves order in which
professionals. they arise.
Legal c.24,000 Institute of Institute of Legal executives Mainly work in Graduate and
Executive ILEX Legal Legal are qualified solicitors’ firms, non-graduate
members Executives Executives lawyers who commerce and routes.
working or (ILEX) (ILEX) specialise in a the public sector. Membership can
training in particular area of be awarded after
the field law and work ILEX Professional
alongside solicitors Higher Diploma in
c.7,185 or barristers. Law (level 6).
Fellows Similar to solicitors Fellows also need
although with five years
greater restrictions, ‘qualifying’
particularly with experience in
regard to advocacy practice.
rights and the right
to conduct litigation.
Rights of audience
are expected to be
extended soon.
174 30/09/2010
Legal Services England and Wales – a summary
Title Numbers Regulatory Representati Key roles and Practising Qualification
body ve Body functions arrangements
Licensed c.1,000 Council for No single Conveyancing – The majority work Exams set by the
conveyan Licensed representative property transfer in solicitors’ Institute for
cer Conveyancers body. (The (Until 1987 only practices. Can Licensed
(CLC) CLC does not solicitors were also work as sole Conveyancers &
have a permitted to practitioners, or in two years’
representative undertake this work) partnership, also practical training
role) employed by eg under the
property supervision of a
developers. Licensed
Conveyancer or
solicitor.
Patent c.1,812 The Chartered Advise on trade Work in patent Science/engineeri
Attorney registered Intellectual Institute of marks, designs, departments in ng graduates take
@ June Property Patent copyrights and industry, private exams set by
2010 Regulation Attorneys patents. Have firms of patent CIPA. Some
c.3,300 Board recently been given attorneys and exemptions
working or (IPReg). the right to conduct government available.
training in Established litigation & to act as departments.
the field Jan 2010 advocates in the
Patent County
Court.
Trade c.773 The Institute of Advise clients on a Work in patent Science/engineeri
Mark registered Intellectual Trade Mark range of trade departments in ng graduates take
Attorney @ June Property Attorneys. mark-related issues, industry, private exams set by
2010 Regulation and to act on their firms of patent CIPA. Some
c.1,600 Board behalf in dealing attorneys and exemptions
working or (IPReg). with the registration government available.
training in Established authorities in the UK departments.
the field Jan 2010 and European
Union and, where
necessary,
overseas, as well as
with third parties
Advise on trade
marks, designs,
copyrights and
patents. Have
recently been given
the right to conduct
litigation & to act as
advocates in the
Patent County
Court.
175 30/09/2010
Legal Services England and Wales – a summary
Title Numbers Regulatory Representati Key roles and Practising Qualification
body ve Body functions arrangements
Paralegal Estimates None. It is not Various Provide legal In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
vary from a protected bodies purport support eg to commerce and qualification. May
100,000 - title; there is to represent solicitors or industry, public be law graduates,
500,000. no recognised their interests, undertake bodies etc. hold HNCs,
regulatory eg National unrestricted work. HNDs, NVQs etc
body. Association of
Licensed
Paralegals
and the
Institute of
Paralegals
Legal Unknown None. It is not Various Typically provide In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
adviser - although a protected bodies such advice to the public voluntary and not- qualification. May
they are title; there is as the Advice on matters such as for- profit bodies hold eg NVQs, be
estimated no recognised Services housing, welfare and local authority law graduates or
to operate regulatory Alliance benefits, equalities, law centres have completed
in c.3230 body domestic violence CAB training etc.
not-for-
profit
organisati
ons in
England
and Wales
Queens Counsel (QC) (also known as silk): traditionally appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. The
status recognises excellent advocacy. In 2004 a new and more transparent process for the appointment of QCs was
introduced, following agreement between the Bar Council and the Law Society and the approval of the Lord Chancellor. An
independent selection panel now appoints QCs, assessing applicants using a competency framework. Solicitors and
barristers can apply. They remain, however, solicitors or barristers and continue to be regulated and represented as such.
176 30/09/2010
Legal Advice:
Structure of the Sector
The publicly funded legal advice sector spans three discrete sub-sectors, namely, private practice
firms, Not for Profit organisations and statutory bodies, each with its own profile. There are
approximately 8,700 organisations, in England and Wales, delivering legal advice services
supported by public funding – most of these are small and medium-sized enterprises. These
comprise private practice firms that hold contracts with the relevant Government bodies, locally
based Not for Profit agencies, as well as teams based in local authorities. Some of the Not for
Profit agencies are members of, or are affiliated to, large national networks but there are a range
of smaller community-based organisations, often staffed entirely by volunteers, with no network
membership of affiliation. The extent of statutory provision reflects the differing priority accorded
to advice by local authorities.
The boundaries of the publicly funded legal advice workforce are very blurred. Within the three
sub-sectors, organisations may not be delivering services exclusively for publicly funded clients
and they may not be exclusively focused on advice delivery. For example, private practice firms
may be doing a mix of publicly funded and private-paying client work. Individual workers in such
firms may themselves provide services to both private-paying and publicly funded clients. Even
where individuals are working entirely within the statutory sphere they may not be working
exclusively to deliver legal advice services and may fulfill other roles.
For example, trading standards officers may do a lot of work on enforcement as well as offer
advice on consumer rights. Workers in community groups may have a range of support functions,
along which advice is not a principal activity.
Professional bodies, practitioner groups, networks:
There is a wide range of professional bodies and practitioners groups with diverse responsibility
and provision of services:
The Law Society regulates and represents solicitors. It sets standards and rules of conduct.
ILEX represents legal executive lawyers and trainee legal executives, and is a leading provider of
training.
Organisations in the Not for Profit sector are generally independent but may be part of a national
network such as Shelter or Citizen Advice, or part of a national federation such as Age UK.
There are various practitioner groups identified in the sector with a direct role in legal advice.
Their remit varies, with some developing competence standards, training, continuing professional
development courses and infrastructure support.
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Size of firms/organisations:
The sector is characterized by a wide range of organisations of different scale. The vast majority
are small enterprises. More than half of all organisations in the sector employ less than 10
people.
Estimates of total workforce size range from a minimum of 67,500 to a maximum of 200,000.
These estimates are very sensitive to the reported workforce numbers from a small number of
larger organisations, and therefore the actual total is likely to be towards the lower end of the
estimates.
Volunteer workforce:
A key feature of the workforce is the large proportion of the labour force working on a voluntary
basis in the Not for Profit sector. Around 40% of orgnisations have between one and 10
volunteers and 20% of organisations have 11 to 20 volunteers. Only 14% of organisations have
more than 50 volunteers.
Working with specific client groups:
One of the features of service delivery in the legal advice sector is services can be targeted at
specific client groups, e.g. black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, asylum seekers and
refugees, homeless people, disabled people, young people and older people. This helps ensure
access to legal advice for specific client groups. Overall, around one in five workers in the sector
deliver services that are targeted at specific client groups. Targeting is more prevalent in the Not
for Profit sector where a querter of all workers activities are targeted. This compares with the
respective shares for private practice and statutory sector workers which are much smaller.
Roles:
The individuals working in the legal advice sector have a wide and diverse range of job titles,
although there are distinct groups of titles within each sub-sector. Just seven job titles account for
the vast majority of the private sector workforce. Overall, approximately a third of the private
sector workers are solicitors, a small minority are trainee solicitors, a few more are assistance
solicitors, a minority are legal executive lawyers, a few are paralegals, approximately a fifth are
partners and very few are senior partners.
The picture in the Not for Profit sector is more diverse with 30 individual job titles indentified in the
course of the ADR Consultancy survey. The dominant job title is advisor with approximately a
third of the Not for Profit workforce described this way. The next largest group is the advice
worker, then manager, caseworker, generalist advisor, volunteer advice worker and outreach
worker . Thus, seven job titles account for the largest majority of the Not for Profit workforce.
In the statutory sector, titles for those who provide information and advice reflect the specific
departments in which individuals work. Overall, the main job titles are advice workers, housing
advisors, welfare rights officers, homeless officers, managers, customer services officers and
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trading officers. In all, these seven job titles account for the vast majority of the statutory sector
legal advice labor force.
Advice delivered:
The range of subject areas in which services are offered is highly diverse. The most prevalent
subject areas are housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment, family and crime. In each of these
subjects, approximately a third of organisations in the sector offer services. There is distinct
specializations within the sub-sector, however, with private practice firms more likely to offer
family and crime, the statutory sector housing, welfare benefits and consumer, and the Not for
profit sector housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment, immigration and consumer.
Professional body requirements:
Not for Profit sector advice workers do not need to comply with the requirements of a professional
body nor have a formal qualification in order to give advice.
In the Not for Profit sector, Citizen Advice operates a membership scheme, which requires that
advisors are assessed as competent against Citizen Advice in-house standards. This gives the
adviser formal status as a Citizen Advice Bureau adviser.
Law Centres Federation membership criteria states all Law Centre must employ a minimum
number of qualified solicitors or barristers.
The Not for Profit sector places great emphasis evidence of competence and work-based
learning. There is a plethora of different training, competence and work-based learning
programmers within the sector.
Who regulates and inspects legal advice work?
The legal Advice sector is subject to a range of regulation and inspection arrangements that
relate to specific sub-sector or specific categories of advice:
• The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) regulates immigration
practice within the Not for profit sector and of those who are not solicitors, barristers or
legal executive lawyers. The Law Society, Bar Council and ILEX regulate their own
members who undertake immigration practice but are subject to the oversight of the
OISC.
• For some Not for profit organisations, membership of networks and requirement of quality
standards necessitates some form of regulation or inspection.
• Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards (LACOTS)
regulates trading standards
• The Law Society regulates solicitors
• The Bar Council regulates barristers
• ILEX regulates legal executives.
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• The Legal Services Board (LSB) is the independent body responsible for overseeing the
regulation of lawyers in England and Wales.
Organisation Structure:
Most legal advice organisations in the Voluntary Sector, for example Citizen Advice, have a
relatively flat organisation structure as exemplified in the following diagram.
Figure 1. Diagrammatical representation of career structure in Legal Advice.
Manager
Project Worker
Case Worker
Advice Worker
Often consists of a number of part time, sometimes volunteer workers
Admin Support
Administration Support workers:
Administration Support workers, in addition to requiring generic administration skills, are usually
the first point of contact for clients so they need to have strong customer service skills. These can
be valuable if the individual wishes to progress to advice worker. Progression opportunities are
often limited as funding for posts can be limited.
Advice Workers:
Advice Workers, Welfare rights officers, also known as welfare benefits advisers, provide
information and advice to the public about welfare benefits and other areas which could include
housing, employment rights and debt management.
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As a welfare rights officer, you could advise clients face-to-face, over the telephone or by letter or
email. You may advise on all benefits and rights issues (where you would be known as a
'generalist' adviser), or you could specialise by working with a particular client group such as
carers, or advising on a particular topic such as housing.
The most common way to get into welfare advice work is to start as a volunteer in an advice
centre.
It usually takes at least a year as a volunteer before you would be considered to have enough
experience and knowledge to apply for paid work.
Many employers will not ask for formal qualifications as your experience would be the most
important thing, but you should have a reasonable standard of English and feel comfortable with
maths (for making benefit calculations). Many welfare rights officers have studied a subject such
as social policy or community work to degree level, but this is not essential if you have enough
practical experience of advice work.
You could also move into this type of work if you have experience as an adviser in a related area
such as a local authority benefits department or Jobcentre Plus.
With experience, you could move into specialist advice and casework, or be promoted to a team
leader or management post.
Case worker:
Case workers need advanced training both in the skill areas such as preparing and presenting
cases in courts and tribunals and the specific areas of law.
Project workers:
Often the opportunity to progress within an organisation is limited by funding for case worker
posts. However, there may be opportunities to progress into specific project funded posts. This
may be an opportunity for an individual to develop in a particular area of law and also to develop
the generic skills of project management, budget management and team leadership, all of which
will widen opportunities for career progression.
The most common career progression route for case workers is into management. Opportunities
are limited again because of funding.
9.3 Information on pay scales
Average annual gross pay for all employees in the UK in the legal activities sector in 2008 was
£32,178, which then rose to £34,086 in 2009. The corresponding figure for all employees across
the UK economy in 2009 was £26,470. The overall pay gap between male and female employees
in the sector is very large, to some degree probably reflecting differing employment patterns and
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job roles: the average gross pay for females in the sector in 2009 was £27,311 (£31,738 for full
time and £17,222 for part time workers), and for males £52,842 (£54,958 for full time workers,
robust figure not available for part timers).
Within legal activities as a whole, however, there are obvious differences between employees in
various occupational groups. The group consisting of solicitors and lawyers, judges and coroners
had an average gross pay of £55,723 in 2009, whereas for legal secretaries this amounted to
£18,119. The pay difference between males and females in the former group (solicitors, lawyers
etc.), although lower than between all males and females in the sector, was still considerable:
lxxxv
among full-time employees only, females earned on average £53,059 and males £67,773.
9.4 Information on entry requirement, application processes.
See section 9.2 for further details.
9.5 Qualifications
See section 9.2 for further details.
The workforce on the whole is very highly qualified: in 2009 62% was qualified to Level 4
(equivalent to an undergraduate degree) or above, whereas in the whole economy this
proportion was about 35%. The proportion of those possessing qualifications below Level 2 or
no qualifications was 17%, which compares well with the whole economy figure of 28%.
9.6 Data on employment and labour market trends and forecasts
Employment forecasting is a complex and risky science at times of economic turbulence, but its
significance is all the greater because of employers’ wish to gain a degree of certainty in
uncertain times. The Institute for Employment Research (IER) at the University of Warwick has
been a major provider of comprehensive whole-economy and sector-based workforce forecasts
for several years. The last set of forecasts had been produced for the UK Commission for
Employment and Skills towards the end of 2008 (based on 2007 data). Considering the recent
fundamental changes in the economic scene which were not reflected in these figures, Skills for
Justice commissioned updated forecasts in January 2010.
The projections were based on employment trends in the sector between 2000-2008 and on the
latest Cambridge Econometrics macroeconomic projections available at the time (relating to
June/July 2009), but also taking further emerging economic trends into account. These forecasts
are therefore not simple time series extrapolations based on past trends.
At the level of the whole economy, recent employment figures suggest that total UK employment
has probably peaked in 2008 at around 31.5 million jobs. IER’s forecast anticipates a decline to
just under 30.5 million in 2012 before a gradual recovery begins. 2008 levels are expected to be
achieved again only around 2019. Professional services and public administration and defence
(the areas where the great majority of Skills for Justice’s footprint is) have not been immune from
this impact. The forecast estimates that professional services (where Legal Services sit) are
expected to follow a similar path to the general trend for all industries, but reaching 2008 levels a
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little sooner. Having said this, the trend data on which the projections are based does not take
account of 2009 workforce numbers, and it is not certain that such a substantial decrease would
have left the forecast unaffected, meaning that the projections may present a too optimistic
picture.
Some major trends for the legal activities workforce forecast for the next decade are summarised
below.
Legal activities is the only part of Skills for Justice’s footprint where an overall expansion (of
approximately 15%) in total workforce numbers has been forecast between 2010-2020, requiring
an additional 60,000 or so workers. The rest of the footprint is expected to see an overall
moderate decrease of about 6 percentage points.
The proportion of the workforce expected to retire or leave legal activities between 2010-2020 is
approximately a third, creating an estimated replacement demand of about 125,000 people. This
is a natural process, and the annual replacement demand rate of 3% is in line with the rest of the
sector. The overall effect is that the number of job openings (including both replacement demand
and expansion) is expected to be around 180,000 in the forecast period.
The current proportion of men and women in the legal activities workforce is expected to remain
similar over the next decade, whilst part-time employment is expected to increase slightly for both
sexes.
In developing a picture of the Legal Services workforce, it is important to be aware of the key
influences and trends that affect work within the sector. In particular, these influences and trends
are likely to impact on the skills and development needs of the workforce, and this is the focus of
this section. Figure 3 outlines some of the key trends and drivers affecting Legal Services.
Figure 3: Key Trends and Drivers within Legal Services
New Technology Changing Patterns of Crime
Digital communication
For example, terrorist attacks and other
Online services
major incidents
Changing business structures Legislative Reform
and practices For example:
The introduction of Alternative Business LEGAL SERVICES Legal Services Act 2007
Structures Data Protection,
TRENDS AND Freedom of Information,
DRIVERS Race Relations Act,
Economic Climate
Policy Public spending cuts signal a
Increased emphasis on, for example: the likelihood of curtailed funding for legal
threat of terrorist attacks
services providers
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As in the rest of the economy, it is a time of considerable change in the legal world, not least
following the Legal Services Act 2007, which will inevitably affect the workforce and the
complement of skills it needs to successfully face the challenges ahead. For this reason it was
thought important to include Legal Services in a qualitative research project commissioned by
Skills for Justice in 2009. The aim of the research was to identify drivers of change and likely
skills needs across the justice and community safety sector. Participants from the legal sector
included key representatives with strategic insight into its diverse segments, for example
regulatory bodies, legal advice organisations and large law firms. The interviews took place in
November 2009 and were used mainly in research reviewing the wider professional and financial
services cluster (this is discussed later in more detail).
The diversity of the research participants meant that the primary drivers of change were similarly
wide-ranging. However, a number of cross-cutting drivers were identified which were expected to
affect all players across the sector, together with some of the associated skills implications.
The economic climate following the financial crisis, and its effects on public spending and on the
expected overall direction of government policies, signalled a likelihood of curtailed funding for
legal advice providers, and a continuation of ‘value for money’ government initiatives for members
of the Bar as regards publicly funded work. Conversely, it also meant a likely growth in legal
advice workload to provide services to people affected by economic dislocation, and a continued
challenge for the Bar to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society had access to
justice. Large law firms anticipated a change in their workload too, but also more ‘value for
money’ demands by customers.
Changing business structures and practices had different manifestations and effects across the
sector. One of these was an on-going trend of fee-cutting for legal aid, which led to polarisation,
with some firms withdrawing entirely from this type of work whilst others concentrating solely on
this, potentially resulting in barriers to access to justice for customers as well as to the
development of ‘rounded’ careers for professionals. The introduction of best value tendering in
criminal defence work was thought to potentially expose not only a lack of tendering experience
but likewise a lack of understanding of the cost structure of the business itself. The latter
shortcoming was also expected to come to light with the introduction of Alternative Business
Structures across the sector, which may in turn lead to radical changes to the ways traditional
partnerships are operated.
Globalisation and new technology were also major inter-connected drivers, which had already
begun impacting in fundamental ways upon both legal and business practices hitherto pursued
within the sector. For example, ensuring that legal work delivered through online services was of
a sufficient quality was seen as a regulatory challenge, but the increased possibilities of digital
communication also meant that much of the clerical work was increasingly outsourced to other
parts of the world. In addition, corporate clients seeking to procure services spanning across
several jurisdictions, as well as the increasing ‘commoditisation’ of legal work, were identified as
major trends associated with increasing globalisation that law firms had to respond to.
Finally, although it was not identified as a cross-cutting driver, it is important to mention that the
research identified an on-going need to increase equality and diversity across certain parts of the
sector, as concerns were raised that despite emerging evidence of an increase in the diversity of
the workforce profile, this had not yet fed through to all levels within some parts of the profession,
such as the judiciary, which was still perceived as unrepresentative of the wider population.
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The identified skills needs and issues associated with the changing economic climate and with
changing business practices had much in common:
better entrepreneurship skills and commercial awareness (‘business savvy’) in order to
understand clients better and be more responsive to their needs, and also to be able to
build up an maintain a client base with less reliance on informal contacts
better financial management skills, particularly in relation to tendering for publicly funded
work
lawyers to develop the ability to be more mobile and flexible between areas of work (for
example to be able to switch to insolvency work)
formal training and qualification for barristers’ clerks to make the role more accessible to
those from different backgrounds, and the training to include business skills
a more stratified and multi-skilled workforce: a wider-ranging skills base for people
working as a first point of contact (but possibly with lower, not necessarily degree level,
legal training), and more specific skill sets at further levels of specialisation
better skills in working with other professionals, as well as more generic skills at the point
of entry to a legal profession (such as finding and using written sources and workload
planning)
more focus on developing skills based on competency-frameworks, and to ensure that
competencies are also available and mapped out at firm-level (regulators increasingly
focus on this).
Examples of skills needs and issues arising as a result of a globalised market included:
utilising the skills available through the increasing mobility of legal professionals across
Europe and the world
‘thinking globally’ is an essential soft skill to accompany legal knowledge in professionals
practising in a globalised market for legal services
ensuring that professionals are skilled and effective in working ‘remotely’
legal awareness training for support staff (such as IT-specialists) to enhance staff
engagement and productivity.
Legal Services and the wider economic landscape:
The 2009 White Paper ‘New Industry New Jobs’ identified a small number of clusters bridging
industrial and sectoral divides where the UK was deemed to have a competitive advantage, and
where therefore potential future growth can be expected. One such cluster was that of
Professional and Financial Services, comprising of a number of areas such as Banking,
Accountancy, Private Architectural and Real Estate Services as well as Legal Services. Skills for
Justice took the lead on the production of a report which identified future drivers of change and its
skills implications across this cluster in England.
Some key points from the report are summarised below:
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The Cluster on the whole had a highly qualified workforce: almost half had Level 4
qualifications or above. Similar to the Legal Services sector, employment within the
Cluster was heavily skewed towards London which had, for some time been a major
global financial and legal centre, with a significant concentration of employment also in
the South East and the East of England.
A broad inter-dependency can be seen between parts of the Cluster, revolving around
the availability of credit which enables firms to be able to function properly. Within this
context, particular strands within individual sectors can have a significant degree of inter-
dependency in terms of conducting their business, one such example is parts of the
financial services sector and large global legal firms specialising in corporate law
(especially in respect of mergers and acquisitions). Overall, however, there is potential for
further refining of the scope of the Cluster, and of identifying common skills needs across
its parts.
As regards the Cluster’s workforce and the skills it seeks, competing for top graduate
talent has become a common trend, especially since firms have refocused their
recruitment criteria from particular degrees to the same skill sets, such as analytical and
communication skills. (However, in contrast with the focus of the research on the Cluster
as a whole, when it comes to certain professions within Legal Services, this trend only
applies to a limited degree, where a legal qualification is a key requirement.)
The most significant current driver of change across the Cluster is undoubtedly the
impact of the economic recession. Its most obvious forms are a reduced aggregate
demand for labour, cuts in public spending, and potential regulatory responses. Within
Legal Services regulation has been a continuing key driver since the 1980s, with a
cumulative effect of moving the system from one of self-regulation towards one of
‘regulated self-regulation’ . The report also highlights the on-going increase in the use of
paralegals, incorporating a wide range of workers from those who are already qualified
lawyers to those who may only have school leaver qualifications (where there is a
potential need for the introduction of Level 2 and 3 vocational qualifications).
The broad areas of important current and future skills demands across the Cluster cover
high-end skills such as management skills, particularly around partnership working,
business planning and change management; a range of technical skills within specific
professional strands, such as risk-management within the financial sector and the Legal
Services sector; and advanced green skills, mainly involving the housing and property
and construction strands. A more immediate need is, however, to ensure that the impact
of the recession does not result in deskilling within the Cluster.
9.7 Skills Shortages:
Further information to added in the future.
9.8 Information on opportunities for adults changing career direction
See section 9.2 for further details.
9.9 Information on opportunities on point of entry or transfer into a sector
from another area or sector
See section 9.2 for further details.
186 30/09/2010
9.10 Job Profiles
Solicitor: -
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=1896745165&j
obprofileid=167&jobprofilename=Solicitor
Barrister:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=625&jobp
rofilename=Barrister&code=1717486952
Legal Executive:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=168&jobp
rofilename=Legal%20Executive&code=-605825485
Paralegal:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=1436&job
profilename=Paralegal&code=144032094
Licensed Conveyancer:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=907&jobp
rofilename=Licensed%20Conveyancer&code=-811519673
Legal Secretary:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=621&jobp
rofilename=Legal%20Secretary&code=-1252373477
Patent Attorney:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=1199&job
profilename=Patent%20Attorney&code=-1232906560
Trade Mark Attorney:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?jobprofileid=1200&job
profilename=Trade%20Mark%20Attorney&code=-1672546114
Welfare Rights Officers:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=1751117306&j
obprofileid=717&jobprofilename=Welfare%20Rights%20Officer
Legal job profiles relating to finance (courtesy of Financial Services Skills Council):
http://www.fssc.org.uk/legal_1.pdf
9.11 Case Studies
Following are video case studies available on the icould (http://icould.com/), from the Law Firm –
Farrer & Co: http://www.farrer.co.uk/,and CareerPlayer (http://www.careerplayer.com/home.aspx)
website of various Legal Services employees:
187 30/09/2010
The Legal Industry – Overview:
http://www.careerplayer.com/careers/law-and-related/law-and-
related-overview.aspx
Barristers, Solicitors
& Lecturing: http://www.careerplayer.com/careers/law-and-related.aspx
Legal Executive: http://icould.com/videos/carole-howe/ &
http://icould.com/videos/cheryl-boyce/
Head of Legal Department: http://icould.com/videos/karena-vleck/
Commercial Property Lawyer: http://icould.com/videos/sangita-sangar/
Paralegal: http://icould.com/videos/john-davies/
Trainee Solicitor: http://icould.com/videos/sonal-shah/
Personal Assistant: http://icould.com/videos/tracy-fay/
Front of House Manager: http://icould.com/videos/nikky-kyriacou/
Notary Public: http://icould.com/videos/anna-steward/
Professional Support Lawyer: http://icould.com/videos/leonora-twynam/
Patent Attorney: http://icould.com/videos/robert-games/
Solicitor (formerly a Barrister):http://icould.com/videos/jeremy-posnansky/
Partner: http://icould.com/videos/anne-marie-piper/
Judge: http://icould.com/videos/lord-david-neuberger/
Plus…
Commercial Lawyer: http://icould.com/videos/chantal-thomas/ (E-on)
Solicitor (& volunteer Mentor):http://icould.com/videos/alistair-bertrand/
9.12 FAQs
The Law Careers Advice Network (LCAN) was a partnership of all those involved in providing
careers advice to law students and individuals considering a career in law:
http://www.lcan.org.uk/frequently_asked_questions.htm
9.13 Sources of additional information, web-links etc
Careers, qualifications and training related:
The College of Law: http://www.college-of-law.co.uk/home/
The Law Society: Junior Law Division (JLD) - Launched in January 2008 for junior
lawyers across England and Wales, the JLD is a division of the Law Society. This division
represents all student members of the Law Society enrolled through the SRA, trainees,
188 30/09/2010
and solicitors with up to five years' active PQE:
http://juniorlawyers.lawsociety.org.uk/career
LawCareers.Net is published in association with the Law Society and the Bar Council
and is the leading research tool for future lawyers http://www.lawcareers.net/
The Law Careers Advice Network (LCAN) was (site now closed) a partnership of all
those involved in providing careers advice to law students and individuals considering a
career in law: http://www.lcan.org.uk/index.htm
The General Council of the Bar (Bar Council) is the Approved Regulator of the Bar of
England and Wales. http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/CareersHome/
Other related sites:
AdviceUK is the UK's largest support network for free, independent advice centres.
http://www.adviceuk.org.uk/home;
The Black Solicitors Network is the primary voice of black solicitors in England and
Wales http://www.blacksolicitorsnetwork.co.uk/
BAILII, where you can find British and Irish case law & legislation, European Union case
law, Law Commission reports, and other law-related British and Irish material
http://www.bailii.org/
The Criminal Law Solicitors' Association represents solicitors and those working in
law firms in the field of criminal law throughout England and Wales: http://www.clsa.co.uk/
Compare Legal Jobs – legal jobs board: http://www.comparelegaljobs.com/
Courtel servces the legal community and the media with automated digital delivery of
critical listing information from the Royal Courts of Justice, Crown Courts, an increasing
number of County Courts and the Employment Tribunals.
http://www.courtserve2.net/homepage.htm
Government Legal Services (GLS) departments employ around 2000 lawyers and
trainees to provide legal services across the entire spectrum of their activities:
http://www.gls.gov.uk/
Solicitors in Local Government Limited is the professional association which
represents the 4,000 local government solicitors and trainees in England and Wales
http://www.slgov.org.uk/
Institute of Paralegals - the largest professional body for paralegals:
http://www.theiop.org/
The Justices’ Clerks’ Society is a professional body representing Justices’ Clerks and
Assistant Justices’ Clerks to Magistrates and to District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) in
England and Wales: http://www.jc-society.com/index.php
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) runs the legal aid scheme in England and
Wales: http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/aboutus.asp
ALLIES (A Local Lawyer in Every School) is an alliance of key stakeholders in the legal
profession and education sector, with the aim to bring together lawyers who are school
governors, and encourage other lawyers to consider becoming governors
http://www.sgoss.org.uk/allies/index.htm
The Barrister is the largest independent magazine for Barristers:
http://www.barristermagazine.com/index.html
189 30/09/2010
Legal Services Board (LSB) - an independent body responsible for overseeing the
regulation of lawyers in England and Wales: http://www.legalservicesboard.org.uk/
The UK Centre for Legal Education (UKCLE) works with law teachers, students,
institutions and professional bodies at the academic and vocational stage to improve the
student learning experience: http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/
9.14 Regional Information (plus UK wide information)
Scotland:
The Scottish Parliament makes laws on issues where it has the right to act independently. In
those matters, it can change or reject acts of the UK Parliament, and pass new, separate
legislation for Scotland.
The Scottish Executive Justice Department oversees issues involving civil and criminal law.
There are civil and criminal courts within Scotland, including the Court of Session, the High Court
of Justiciary, the Sheriff Courts, District Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts and a number of
other courts, commissions and tribunals.
In Scotland, a Sheriff is a judge and sits in a second-tier court, called the Sheriff Court. The sheriff
is legally qualified, in comparison with a lay Justice of the Peace who preside over the first-tier
District Courts of Scotland. Sheriffs are usually advocates and, increasingly, solicitors with many
years of legal experience.
The Lord President of the Court of Session is the statutory head of the whole judiciary of Scotland
and Chair of the Scottish Court Service.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is responsible for the prosecution of
crime in Scotland, the investigation of sudden or suspicious deaths, and the investigation of
complaints against the police.
The legal professions in Scotland are divided into two branches, i.e. advocates and solicitors.
Advocate, also known as a Lawyer (Scotland) or Counsel (Advocate):
Candidates to become advocates are known as 'intrants'. They need one of the following:
o an Honours degree (second class, division 2, or above) in Scottish Law from a
Scottish University
o a degree in Scottish law from a Scottish university together with an Honours degree
(class 2.2 or above) in another subject from any UK university
o an ordinary degree with distinction in Scottish law from a Scottish university.
Intrants must have completed a postgraduate course at a Scottish university, leading to the
Diploma in Legal Practice, and then have spent at least 21 months in a solicitor's office.
190 30/09/2010
Then one will need to spend a period of about nine and a half months as a pupil to a member of
the Bar approved by the Dean of Faculty - this period is known as devilling. During this period,
one must pass the Faculty of Advocates' examinations in Evidence, Practice and Procedure.
When one have successfully completed the devilling period and passed the exams, one will be
called to the Bar.
Solicitor:
The usual route to qualification in Scotland is to complete a qualifying LLB degree (law degree)
from a Scottish university.
After completing your Law degree, you must undertake the Diploma in Legal Practice. This is the
professional training for solicitors, lasting 26 weeks full-time.
After completing the Diploma in Legal Practice, you will spend two years in paid training with a
firm of solicitors or another approved organisation.
After you have completed this period, you are free to apply for a post as a solicitor.
Solicitors may qualify as a Solicitor-Advocate after 5 years of relevant experience, further training
and passing the advocacy exams.
Licence Conveyancers - training in Scotland is either with a solicitor or with one of only two
firms of independent conveyancers supervised by the Law Society of Scotland .
Notaries - in Scotland are always solicitors, the profession remains separate in that there are
additional rules and regulations governing notaries and it is possible to be a solicitor, but not a
notary. Since 2007 an additional Practising Certificate is required, so now most, but not all,
solicitors in Scotland are notaries - a significant difference from the English profession.
Paralegals - The Scottish Paralegal Association is the only association formally recognised by
the Law Society of Scotland as the body representing the interests and promoting the
development of paralegals in Scotland.
The Law Society of Scotland has launched, in August 2010, its Registered Paralegal Scheme, in
association with the Scottish Paralegal Association, to define and credit the role of the paralegal
in Scotland.
Scotland has no system of Coronial investigation. Deaths requiring judicial examination are dealt
with by Fatal Accident Inquiries.
191 30/09/2010
Scotland– a summary
Title Numbers Regulatory Representati Key roles and Practising Qualifications
body ve Body functions arrangements
Solicitor c.10,600 Law Society of Law Society of Give advice on all c. 70 % in private A degree in Scottish
qualified, of Scotland Scotland legal matters and practice, ie firms law (normal route)
which have rights to usually organised or a three year pre-
c. 10,150 undertake advocacy in as partnerships diploma training
practising some courts. Solicitor Others work in contract followed by
advocates (ie those commerce, Law Society exams.
with additional government, public Then a Diploma in
advocacy bodies etc. Legal Practice
qualification) have the followed by a two
same rights of year training
audience as contract.
Advocates.
Advocate c. 720 of Faculty of Faculty of Advocacy (in all Practise on own Honours level
which Advocates Advocates courts) and specialist account from the degree in Scottish
opinions on legal Advocates’ Library. law followed by
c.460 are matters. Usually no Any necessary Diploma in Legal
practising direct relationship administrative Practice (as for
with/access to clients. support is provided solicitors) and 21
by clerks employed months working for
by Faculty Services a solicitor and 7.5
Ltd. Follow the cab months working as
rank rule. a pupil (known as
‘devilling’) and
Faculty exams.
Conveyanc c. 20 Law Society of Law Society of Conveyancing and Work for solicitors,
ing and registered Scotland Scotland executary services local authorities or,
executary (since 2003 for those registered
practitione c. 3 following the before 2003 only, as
rs practising abolition of the independent
independen Scottish practitioners
tly, the rest Conveyancing providing services
are and Executary directly to the
employed Services Board) public.
by solicitors
Paralegal Est. 10,000 None. It is not a Various bodies Provide legal support In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
protected title; purport to eg to solicitors or commerce and qualification. May
there is no represent their undertake unrestricted industry, public be law graduates,
recognised interests, eg work. bodies etc. HNCs or HNDs.
regulatory body. Scottish There are some
Paralegal specific Personal
Association, Development
Society of Awards available by
Specialist distance learning
Paralegals from Scottish
Universities.
Legal Unknown None. It is not a Various bodies Typically provide In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
adviser protected title; such as the advice to the public on voluntary and not- qualification. May
there is no Advice Services matters such as for- profit bodies hold NVQs, be law
recognised Alliance housing, welfare and local authority graduates or have
regulatory body. benefits, equalities, law centres completed CAB
domestic violence training etc.
192 30/09/2010
Queen’s Counsel (QCs). Solicitors and advocates can apply to
become QCs. Following consultation based on a framework of
assessment, the Lord Justice-General makes recommendations to
the First Minister.
Northern Ireland:
Northern Ireland's legal system is similar to that in England and Wales. The Lord Chancellor is
responsible for court administration through the Northern Ireland Court Service. The Northern
Ireland Office deals with policy and legislation concerning criminal law, the police and the prison
system.
1) The Court of Appeal:
The Court of Appeal sits at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. The four judges of the Court of
Appeal are the Lord Chief Justice, who is the President and three Lords Justices of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal hears appeals in civil matters from the High Court and in criminal matters
from the Crown Court. It also hears appeals on points of law from the county courts, magistrates’
courts and certain tribunals.
A Court of Appeal case will usually be heard by three judges. Currently in Northern Ireland the
Court of Appeal, High Court and the Crown Court are collectively known as the Supreme Court of
Judicature of NI.
Constitutional reform at the beginning of October 2009 resulted in the Supreme Court of
Judicature of NI has been renamed as the Court of Judicature of NI.
2) The High Court:
The High Court sits at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. It consists of the Lord Chief Justice
and ten High Court judges.
The High Court handles cases of high value or certain complex cases or applications, such as
judicial review. The High Court comprises three Divisions: Chancery, Queen’s Bench and Family.
Masters are generally responsible for exercising the jurisdiction of the High Court where, by
statute or under Rules of Court, jurisdiction does not fall to a judge.
Queen’s Bench, Chancery and Bankruptcy Masters deal with most of the interlocutory work and
applications arising within their areas of jurisdiction, and in certain circumstances may also try
actions.
193 30/09/2010
The Taxing Master has powers to assess the costs of any actions in the Supreme Court of
Judicature of NI and hears appeals against decisions.
3) The Crown Court:
The Crown Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try offences charged on indictment. Offences tried
on indictment are the more serious offences.
The Lord Chief Justice is President of the Court and the Lords Justices of Appeal, High Court
judges and county court judges may exercise the jurisdiction of the Crown Court. The Crown
Court sits at 13 venues throughout Northern Ireland.
In ordinary criminal cases (those that do not involve terrorist-type offences), if a defendant pleads
not guilty, a jury of 12 men and women (members of the public) decides whether or not he or she
is guilty.
There is no jury in cases certified by the Director of Public Prosecution which, for example, are
believed to involve proscribed organisations. In such cases, only the judge decides whether the
defendant is guilty or not. In both types of case, only the judge decides the sentence. In certain
circumstances the defendant may appeal to the Court of Appeal and in non-jury trials the
defendant has the automatic right to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
4) County Court:
In Northern Ireland there are seven county court divisions. There is currently a complement of 17
county court judges, 26 deputy county court judges, four district judges, and five deputy district
judges. A county court judge can hear a case up to the value of £15,000; a district judge £5,000
contested or £15,000 uncontested.
County courts are where everyday civil disputes are heard. Typical cases involve the recovery of
debts, trespass, negligence, adoptions and undefended divorces.
Applications for the grant of intoxicating liquor licences and certificates of registration for clubs are
also made to the county courts.
The county court also hears appeals from the magistrates’ courts. The judge has the jurisdiction
to over-turn, uphold or give her/his own judgment in relation to decisions/sentences of the lower
court.
Four county courts have been designated as Family Care Centres to deal with certain
applications or appeals relating to the care or welfare of a child or young person under the
Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.
194 30/09/2010
5) Magistrates’ Court:
There are 19 petty sessions’ venues in Northern Ireland. A magistrates’ court (other than a youth
court or family proceedings court) is presided over by a district judge (magistrates’ court).
Magistrates’ courts exercise two basic functions in respect of criminal proceedings:
A. the summary trial of relatively minor offences or of indictable offences which may be tried
summarily. The vast majority of criminal cases in Northern Ireland are dealt with by the
magistrates’ courts.
B. youth courts are specially constituted courts of summary jurisdiction composed of a district
judge (magistrates’ courts) and two lay magistrates (of whom at least one must be a woman)
which deal with criminal matters in relation to children.
The main types of civil business transacted by the magistrates’ courts are family and domestic
cases, debt processes and applications for certain licences.
6) Coroners’ Court:
There are four full-time coroners in Northern Ireland - one of whom is a Senior Coroner. In
addition, there is a part-time Presiding Coroner, a position held by a High Court judge.
Coroners inquire into deaths reported to them that appear to be unexpected or unexplained; as a
result of violence or an accident; as a result of negligence; or from any cause other than natural
illness or disease.
A coroner will consider if it is necessary to hold an inquest into a particular death, and he or she
may also direct a post-mortem examination. This may be followed by the holding of a formal
inquest, which may either be conducted over by the coroner only or by a coroner with the
assistance of a jury.
The purpose of an inquest is to establish how, when and where the death occurred. An inquest
does not decide questions of criminal or civil liability.
7) Enforcement of Judgments Office:
The Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO) deals with enforcing money judgments and
judgments that are connected with the possession of land and property.
The EJO also provides access to the public register of judgments and provides creditors with
reports as to the assets and liabilities of the debtors they are enforcing against. It is not a debt-
collecting agency.
EJO Officers work for the EJO.
195 30/09/2010
Summary of Judicial Offices in Northern Ireland as at 1 July 2009:
Office: Experience/Qualifications required:
Lay Magistrates No formal qualifications
Tribunal (Other) Dependent on post
Tribunal (Medical) Medical practitioner of at least seven years standing
Tribunal - Legal* 7 years standing as solicitor or barrister
Coroner* 5 years standing as solicitor or barrister
District Judge* (Magistrates’ Court) 7 years standing as solicitor or barrister
District Judge* 7 years standing as solicitor or barrister
County Court Judge* 10 years standing as solicitor or barrister
High Court Master* 7 years standing as solicitor or barrister
High Court Judge* 10 years standing as solicitor or barrister
*a member of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland or a solicitor of the Supreme Court of
Judicature of Northern Ireland.
Judicial Offices held at 1 July 2009:
Judicial Office: Number in Post:
Court of Appeal and High Court:
Lord Chief Justice 1
Lord Justice of Appeal 3
High Court Judge 10
Temporary Judge of the High Court* 1
Master 7
Total: 22
County Court:
County Court Judge 17
Deputy County Court Judge* 26
District Judge 4
Deputy District Judge* 5
Total: 52
Coroner’s Court:
Presiding Coroner 1
Coroner 4
Total: 5
Magistrate’s Court:
District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) (includes 2 part-time)** 21
Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts)* 18
196 30/09/2010
Lay Magistrate* 228
Total: 267
Tribunals: 329
Grand Total: 675
* Fee-paid posts; ** Part-time (salaried post)
In addition to the statutory eligibility requirements for each judicial office, Northern Ireland Judicial
Appointments Commission (NIJAC) assesses applicants against a framework of the knowledge,
skills and attributes appropriate to each judicial office.
The legal profession in Northern Ireland is divided into two distinct branches, the Bar (which
comprises barristers) and the Law Society of Northern Ireland (which comprises solicitors).
Barristers:
To become a Barrister, students must undertake and pass an approved law degree.
Students must undertake the one year full-time Degree of Barrister-at-Law at the Institute of
Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB).
Candidates must have completed the academic stage and passed an entrance examination
before being admitted to the degree course.
Students are called to the Bar of Northern Ireland after they have passed the Degree of Barrister-
at-Law. A person intending to practise at the Bar of Northern Ireland must, unless exempted by
the Education Committee of the Executive Council, after being called to the Bar enter into
pupillage.
Solicitors:
The Law Society of Northern Ireland, as the governing body of the solicitors' profession in
Northern Ireland, has statutory powers to set the legal education and training necessary to qualify
as a solicitor in Northern Ireland.
There are several routes into the profession.
There are two organisations in Northern Ireland which offer the vocational training to become a
solicitor: the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, part of Queen's University Belfast and the
Graduate School of Professional Legal Education part of the University of Ulster based on its
Magee campus.
There is a single application procedure to apply for both courses.
197 30/09/2010
Notaries:
Under the Solicitors (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, all solicitors are commissioners for oaths,
which means that they can witness official documents other than those prepared by themselves
or their opponents in a case.
A notary public is an officer who can administer oaths and statutory declarations, witness and
authenticate documents, and perform certain other acts depending on the jurisdiction. They can
also witness documents for use abroad.
Northern Ireland – a summary
Title Numbers Regulatory Representative Key roles and Practising Qualifications
body body functions arrangements
Solicitor c. 1850 in Law Society Law Society of Advise and In private practice Main route:
practice of Northern Northern Ireland provide firms operating as approved degree
Ireland representation on partnerships, in law followed by
all legal matters. mainly high street Certificate from
Some rights of firms. the Institute of
audience in the Professional
higher court for Legal Studies,
those with Queens
additional University,
qualification. Belfast, integrated
Discussions with an
underway to apprenticeship
extend rights of with a master (an
audience. approved solicitor)
over two years
Barrister c. 580 in General Bar Council Advocacy (in all In private practice Approved law
practice Council of the Courts) and as sole degree, and a
Bar of specialist legal practitioners, Degree of
Northern opinions operating from the Barrister of Law
Ireland (Bar Bar Library in from the Institute
Council) Belfast. Follow the of Professional
cab rank rule Legal Studies at
Queens University
and 12 months’
pupillage.
Paralegal Unknown None. It is not Various bodies Provide legal In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
a protected purport to support eg to commerce and qualification. May
title; there is represent their solicitors or industry, public be law graduates,
no recognised interests across undertake bodies etc. hold HNCs,
regulatory the UK, eg unrestricted work. HNDs, NVQs etc
body. National
Association of
Licensed
Paralegals and
the Institute of
Paralegals.
There is no
198 30/09/2010
paralegal
organisation
based solely in
NI.
Legal Unknown None. It is not Various bodies Typically provide In solicitors’ firms, No recognised
adviser a protected such as the advice to the voluntary and not- qualification. May
title; there is Advice Services public on matters for- profit bodies hold eg NVQs, be
no recognised Alliance such as housing, and local authority law graduates or
regulatory welfare benefits, law centres have completed
body equalities, CAB training etc.
domestic violence
Queen’s Counsel (QCs). Appointment arrangements are similar to those used for
England and Wales, although a Northern Ireland panel considers applications from the
jurisdiction.
199 30/09/2010
10.0 Third Sector
To increase our understanding of the issues facing our third sector employers, we commissioned
BMG Research to undertake a survey of organisations across the UK. The survey asked
questions about the third sector justice workforce – paid and volunteer – and looked at workforce
development, skills gaps and shortages and future skills demands.
10.1 Justice Third Sector Organisations and their Workforce
Third sector organisations are crucial to the delivery of justice across the UK. They provide a wide
range of services, including advice, help and support to victims, survivors and witnesses of crime,
and to the families of offenders. They work with adults and young people at risk of committing
crime, and with offenders and ex-offenders, supporting community safety, supervision, skills,
employability and rehabilitation.
The skills and commitment of the third sector workforce – paid and unpaid – are central to the
prevention of crime and to bringing offenders to justice. They are key to helping all those whose
lives have been affected by crime.
Our survey drew on responses from 506 telephone interviews at establishment level, painting a
picture of the situation across the UK
most organisations deliver services in more than one area of the Justice sector
two fifths of establishments are part of larger organisations
a quarter of all organisations operate across the UK
most establishments are small – two thirds have less than 10 staff
most of the workforce - volunteer and paid - is female (over two thirds) and white (over
three quarters)
there are more black and minority ethnic staff, and people with disabilities amongst both
paid staff and volunteers than there are in the UK economy as a whole and in the wider
justice sector.
10.2 Key Findings from the Survey
Volunteers are vital to service delivery
Volunteers make up two thirds of the justice third sector workforce
to a large extent, do the same sorts of jobs as paid workers - advice/counselling, direct
support and administration
200 30/09/2010
are dedicated – almost two thirds volunteer on a weekly basis
are committed – at 19% volunteer turnover is only marginally higher than for the paid
workforce
form a pool for paid recruitment – one in five of all paid staff were previously volunteers.
However, third sector organisations in justice can find it difficult to recruit volunteers – perhaps in
part (as the Neuberger report suggests1) because of the nature of the business. Half of all
establishments had vacancies for volunteers, compared to a fifth with vacancies for paid staff.
Despite the fact that third sector employers are so reliant on volunteers (and around half of
establishments expect to recruit more over the next twelve months) the survey suggests that
approaches to attracting and supporting them are mostly informal.
the usual method of recruitment is through word of mouth
there is a relatively low level of investment in training for volunteers compared to paid
staff, and training is more likely to be informal and on the job
there seems to be limited emphasis on management of volunteers – only 2% of the paid
workforce is identified as having the role of volunteer manager, despite the large number
of volunteers.
These approaches may well be effective – for example word of mouth can be a powerful way to
attract interest – but it is possible that employers and volunteers could benefit from a more
structured approach.
There is a commitment to training and development
Justice third sector employers take training and development seriously
the majority (76%) formally assess skills needs and back this up with a training plan
(69%) and a training budget (73%)
62% also have a training plan that is specific to their volunteers
over the past 12 months 84% of establishments have trained paid staff and 63% have
trained volunteers (mostly informally).
Despite their commitment to training, third sector organisations find it difficult to address skills
deficiencies, due to
lack of funding for training
201 30/09/2010
lack of time
lack of appropriate provision either external or internal.
There are skills gaps, but fewer than in the wider third sector
Most third sector employers in the sector feel that their paid and unpaid staff have the right skills,
while acknowledging the need to build on what they have.
Problem areas are
management and leadership skills, which 12% of establishments saw as a gap for paid
staff, and 19% for volunteers
specialist skills, such as human resources, fund raising and legal knowledge are most
likely to be identified as areas that need improving across the workforce
1 Volunteering Across the Criminal Justice System March 2009
for volunteers, the key skills gap reported was in skills in working with particular service
user groups
volunteers were generally reported as having lower levels of skills, across all roles, than
the paid workforce.
There is a high awareness of training initiatives, but low take up
The survey suggests that third sector justice employers have a high awareness of national skills
initiatives, and of national occupational standards, but that take up is relatively low
88% are aware of Investors in People, but only 31% have been involved with it
82% are aware of Apprenticeships, but only 10% are involved
69% are aware of Train to Gain, but only 32% have taken it up (England only).
Almost half of employers surveyed used National Occupational Standards for all or some of their
workforce, but a similar number does not use them at all.
10.3 Next steps
We will use these findings to inform our work with third sector employers. In particular, over the
next few months they will act as the basis for a discussion with employers to learn more.
This is the first time we have asked survey questions about the paid and unpaid workforce, and
we want to deepen our understanding of volunteers and their skills needs.
202 30/09/2010
We also want to look harder at the how our third sector employers see the future (three quarters
expect challenges over the next 12 months) and how we can work with them to develop the skills
of their people in the hard times ahead.
We want to gain a better understanding of what lies behind the issues, and of what we can do to
support employers in meeting their training and development needs.
We aim to develop a strategy for working with the third sector, in partnership with our employers
and in consultation with third sector skills bodies across the UK. We will look to publish this early
in 2010.
The full survey report and an Executive Summary can be found at
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/Third%20Sector%20Skills%20Survey%20-
%20full%20report%20-%20October%2009.pdf
And
http://www.skillsforjustice.com/websitefiles/Third%20Sector%20Skills%20Survey%20-
%20Executive%20Summary%20-%20October%2009.pdf
Endnotes:
i
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix 2007-8
ii
Skills for Justice: Employment Estimates 2008-09 Police & Law Enforcement strand
iii
Home Office Statistical Bulletin – Police Service Strength England and Wales 31 March 2009.
iv
Skills for Justice: Employment Estimates 2008-09 Police & Law Enforcement strand & Policing
and Law Enforcement Labour Market Information (LMI) Factsheet
v
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix 2007-8
vi
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix 2007-8
vii
Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 22 July 2010
viii
Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 22 July 2010
ix
Skills for Justice: Employment Estimates 2008-09 Police & Law Enforcement strand
x
Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 22 July 2010
xi
Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 22 July 2010
xii
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10453370
xiii
Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 22 July 2010
xiv
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100622/text/100622w0010.htm
xv
Source: http://www.npia.police.uk/en/8563.htm - The National Police Improvement Agency.
203 30/09/2010
xvi
Source: Ministry of Defence Police & Guarding Agency Annual Report & Accounts 2007-08:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0708/hc06/0699/0699.pdf & Ministry of
Defence Police & Guarding Agency Annual Report & Accounts 2009-10:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1011/hc02/0238/0238.pdf
xvii
Source: Civil Nuclear Constabulary – Annual Review – 2009/10, Page 65:
http://www.cnc.police.uk/files/annual_report_2009-2010.pdf
xviii
Source: Isle of Man Constabulary – Chief Constables’ Annual Report 2009/10, Page 47:
http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dha/police/chiefconstablesannualreport20091.pdf
xix
Source: Initial Police Learning and Development. Review and guidance on pre joining
programmes in England and Wales June 2010. Internal paper from NPIA.
xx
Source: Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Service Strength England & Wales 30 March
2009
xxi
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix 2007-8
xxii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix March 2008
xxiii
Source: Ministry of Justice: Sentencing Statistics - England and Wales, 2007
xxiv
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix 2007-8
xxv
Source: CPS website (From April 2009):
http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/performance/payscales.html
xxvi
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix March 2008:
http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/pdf/Employment%20estimates_Prosec.pdf
xxvii
Source: Public Prosecution Service website: http://www.ppsni.gov.uk/default.aspx?CATID=8
xxviii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix
xxix
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/pdf/Employment%20estimates_cts.pdf
xxx
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/pdf/Employment%20estimates_cts.pdf
xxxi
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/pdf/Employment%20estimates_cts.pdf
xxxii
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/pdf/Employment%20estimates_cts.pdf
xxxiii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xxxiv
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xxxv
Source Careers Advice Service website: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/
xxxvi
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xxxvii
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/lmi_data.php?type=6
xxxviii
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/lmi_data.php?type=6
xxxix
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/lmi_data.php?type=7
204 30/09/2010
xl
Source: Ministry of Justice - National Offender Management Service Annual Report 2008/09:
Management Information Addendum. Table 34.
xli
Source: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/
xlii
Source: Ministry of Justice Prison Population and Accommodation Briefing, 16 October 2009
xliii
Source: House of Commons Justice Committee: Role of the Prison Officer: Twelfth Report of
Session 2008–09; Page 55, paragraph 189.
xliv
Source: http://www.skillsforjustice-lmimatrix.com/lmi_data.php?type=1
xlv
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xlvi
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xlvii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (March 2009)
xlviii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
xlix
Source:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100418065544/http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/dat/da
t/?version=2
l
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
li
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
lii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
liii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
liv
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
lv
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
lvi
Source: http://www.jobsinprobation.com/jobsinprobation/Main/default.asp
lvii
Source: http://www.jobsinprobation.com/jobsinprobation/Main/default.asp
lviii
Source: Careers Advice website
lix
Source: http://www.lgcareers.com/careers-az/community-safety-officer/
lx
Source: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-
996130294&jobprofileid=1499&jobprofilename=Substance%20Misuse%20Outreach%20Worker
lxi
Source:
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=949470269&jo
bprofileid=300&jobprofilename=Youth%20and%20Community%20Worker
lxii
Source: http://www.lgcareers.com/careers-az/community-safety-officer/
lxiii
Source: Skills for Justice LMI Matrix (Data from 2007-8)
lxiv
Source: Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services 2008, Scottish Excutive National
Statistics Tables, Table 5. SACRO Annual Report 2008 and Apex Scotland Annual Report 2009.
205 30/09/2010
lxv
Source: Skills for Justice - Occupational Map for the Fire & Rescue Sector – July 2009:
lxvi
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
Stats Wales website – Community Safety/ Fire-Operational/ Equality and Diversity/ Gender of
Fire and Rescue Service Personnel 2007-08; Data provided by Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue
Service through SfJ request. External link not available and Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire
and Rescue Services Annual Report 2007-08 – Page 21-27.
lxvii
Source: Skills for Justice Internal Document (Connexions Careers Leaflet: no longer available;
Web pages for: London City Airport Fire and Rescue ; East Midlands Airport Fire and Rescue
Service ; Leeds Bradford International Airport Fire and Rescue ; London Southend Airport
Rescue and Firefighting ; North Weald Fire Rescue Volunteer Airfield Fire Service ; Kent
International Airport Fire Service ; Web pages accessed April/May 2009.)
lxviii
UK Defence Statistics 2008 – Page 88, Footnote 8.
lxix
Source: Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service – Annual Report (Year ending December 2009)
http://www.gov.gg/ccm/navigation/home-department/fire-service/annual-reports/
lxx
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08; North
Wales Fire and Rescue Authority Improvement Plan and Annual Risk Reduction Action Plan
2008-09; Details of Scottish Fire and Rescue Services webpage and Data provided by Northern
Ireland Fire & Rescue Service through SfJ request. External link not available.
lxxi
Source: FRS: Ops Stats Bulletin for England 2009/10:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/1723518.pdf
lxxii
Source: Skills for Justice - Occupational Map for the Fire & Rescue Sector – July 2009:
lxxiii
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxiv
Source: http://www.fbu.org.uk/workplace/pay/index.php - 2009;
lxxv
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxvi
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxvii
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxviii
Source: http://www.fireservice.co.uk/recruitment/eyesight.php
lxxix
Source: http://www.fire.gov.uk/find+my+region
lxxx
Source: http://www.nifrs.org/docs/doc48d3bc8adc30f_NIFRS%200708%20Annual%20Report-
%20no%20sigs.pdf
lxxxi
Source: Adapted from The Scottish Government website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/09/03093526/5
lxxxii
Source: http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=7036
lxxxiii
Source: Guernsey Government website: http://www.gov.gg/ccm/navigation/home-
department/fire-service/structure/
206 30/09/2010
lxxxiv
Source: Skills for Justice Occupational Map for the Legal Services Strand – Draft Copy,
August 2010.
207 30/09/2010
l Authority Social Work Services 2008, Scottish Excutive National
Statistics Tables, Table 5. SACRO Annual Report 2008 and Apex Scotland Annual Report 2009.
205 30/09/ 2010
lxv
Source: Skills for Justice - Occupational Map for the Fire & Rescue Sector – July 2009:
lxv i
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
Stats Wales website – Community Safety/ Fire-Operational/ Equality and Diversity/ Gender of
Fire and Rescue Service Personnel 2007-08; Data provided by Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue
Service through S fJ request. External link not available and Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire
and Rescue Services Annual Report 2007 -08 – Page 21-27.
lxv ii
Source: Skills for Justice Int ernal Document (Connexions Careers Leaflet: no longer available;
Web pages for: London City Airport Fire and Rescue ; East Midlands Airport Fire and Rescue
Service ; Leeds Bradford International Airport Fire and Rescue ; London Southend Airport
Rescue and Firefighting ; North Weald Fire Rescue Volunteer Airfield Fire Service ; Kent
International Airport Fire Service ; Web pages accessed April/May 2009.)
lxv iii
UK Defence Statistics 2008 – Page 88, Footnote 8.
lxix
Sourc e: Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service – Annual Report (Year ending December 2009)
http://www.gov. gg/ccm/navigation/home-department/fire-service/annual -reports/
lxx
Source: Fire and Rescue Servic e: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08; North
Wales Fire and Rescue Authority Improvement Plan and Annual Risk Reduction Action Plan
2008-09; Det ails of Scottish Fire and Rescue Services webpage and Data provided by Northern
Ireland Fire & Rescue Service through SfJ request. External link not available.
lxxi
Source: FRS: Ops Stats Bulletin for England 2009/10:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/1723518.pdf
lxxii
Source: Skills for Justice - Occupational Map for the Fire & Rescue Sector – July 2009:
lxxiii
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxiv
Source: http://www.fbu.org.uk/workplace/ pay/index.php - 2009;
lxxv
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxv i
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxv ii
Source: Fire and Rescue Service: Operational Statistics Bulletin for England 2007/08;
lxxv iii
Source: http://www.fireservice.co.uk/recruitment/eyesight.php
lxxix
Source: http://www.fire.gov.uk/find+my+region
lxxx
Source: http://www.nifrs.org/docs/doc48d3bc8adc30f_NIFRS%200708% 20Annual%20Report-
%20no%20sigs.pdf
lxxxi
Source: Adapted from The Scottish Government website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/09/03093526/5
lxxxii
Source: http://www.statswales.wales.gov. uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?Report Id= 7036
lxxxiii
Source: Guerns ey Government website: http://www.gov.gg/ccm/navigation/ home -
department/fire-service/structure/
206 30/09/ 2010
lxxxiv
Source: Skills for Justice Occupational Map for t he Legal S ervices Strand – Draft Copy,
August 2010.
207 30/09/ 2010
