The Home Office study praises the work of staff in reintegrating offenders into society.

It also praises its work with young people and with drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes.

But it says more needs to be done to protect the public from offenders who might commit serious crimes in future.

And it says more emphasis should be put on the needs of victims, possibly getting offenders to compensate them in some way.

Chief Probation Officer Brian Heath has welcomed the report, but has expressed concern that some services could be cut back next year because of a lack of money.