Racial slurs among probation officers were dismissed as “banter” and ethnic minority staff were handed the cases of race hate criminals without being consulted, a watchdog said. One probation officer was even propositioned by a white male colleague because “he had not had sex with a black woman before”, a report on race equality in the service found. Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said the findings were “disappointing” and said staff did not feel experiences of racism had been taken seriously. The inspection, carried out between October and December, looked at services in Bradford and Calderdale, Liverpool and Sefton, Hackney and Tower Hamlets in east London, Bedfordshire and Birmingham, considering 150 cases while also speaking to more than 100 probation staff and 80 offenders.
Racial slurs among probation officers were dismissed as banter and ethnic minority staff were handed the cases of race hate criminals without being consulted, a watchdog said.
One probation officer was even propositioned by a white male colleague because he had not had sex with a black woman before , a report on race equality in the service found.
Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said the findings were disappointing and said staff did not feel experiences of racism had been taken seriously.
Inspectors said they heard distressing stories of inappropriate behaviour towards ethnic minority staff including instances of stereotyping, racist and sexualised language, and false allegations .