CRIME will not increase around a proposed new probation centre in Oxford, a senior officer has pledged.

Graham McCartney, assistant chief probation officer for Oxfordshire, said there was no evidence to suggest offending would increase around the proposed new centre in Mill Street, Osney.

The Government is currently negotiating a lease for Trajan House.

Mr McCartney said about 350 offenders would be required to visit the centre every week to meet probation officers or to attend classes in changing their criminal behaviour.

But Mr McCartney stressed the most prolific offenders and those with drug and alcohol issues would be dealt with at another location in Oxford.

Neighbours have claimed crime will increase as convicted criminals descend upon the area.

However, Mr McCartney said: “I wouldn’t anticipate any effect on the neighbourhood in that respect.

“We have no evidence at all that crime increases around the location of a probation office.

“However, as part of being good neighbours I would be happy to ask the area police commander to monitor crime in the area to see if in six months’ time there is any significant impact that can be attributed to us being there.”

Mr McCartney said his duty was to protect the public and to reduce offending.

He said that years of experience led him to believe offenders had no incentive to hang around probation offices.

“I think they will just go wherever they normally go,” he added.

Mr McCartney said offenders using the centre would either be on licence having been released by prison, or would be fulfilling community orders.

He said probationers would use the centre for victim empathy sessions, sexual offenders’ workshops and discussions between 9am and 8pm.

Under current plans, probation offices in Abingdon, Banbury and central Oxford would close as Oxfordshire’s probation service is centralised.

The Trajan House site was identified as a central office because of its good transport links, Mr McCartney said.

He added funding cuts meant 110 jobs would be cut from more than 600 in Thames Valley Probation, including about 30 out of 115 jobs in Oxfordshire.

ghamilton@oxfordmail.co.uk