This article analyses the impact of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation on practice, providers and practitioners. Since 1936 HMI Probation has aimed to improve practice through independently inspecting probation services. However, no research has looked at its impact on those it inspects. This is important not only because the evidence on whether inspection improves delivery in other sectors is weak but also because oversight has the potential to create accountability overload. Following a brief overview of the history, aims and policy context for probation inspection the article presents data from interviews with 77 participants from across the field of probation. Overall, participants were positive about inspection and the Inspectorate. However, the data suggest that inspection places a considerable operational burden on staff and organisations and has real emotional consequences for practitioners. Staff experience case interviews as places for reflection and validation but there is less evidence of the direct impact of inspection on practice. Ultimately, the article argues that inspection can monitor practice whilst also contributing to improving practice and providing staff with a way to reflect on their work, yet this balance is difficult strike. Finally, the article considers the implications of these findings for the Inspectorate and the probation service.

本文分析了女王陛下的缓刑监察局对实践、提供者和从业者的影响。自 1936 年以来，HMI 缓刑旨在通过独立检查缓刑服务来改善实践。然而，没有研究关注其对其检查对象的影响。这一点很重要，不仅因为关于检查是否能改善其他部门交付的证据不足，而且因为监督有可能造成问责超负荷。在简要概述缓刑检查的历史、目标和政策背景之后，本文提供了对来自缓刑领域的 77 名参与者的访谈数据。总体而言，参与者对检查和检查局持积极态度。然而，数据表明，检查给工作人员和组织带来了相当大的业务负担，并对从业者产生了真正的情感影响。员工体验案例访谈作为反思和验证的场所，但很少有证据表明检查对实践有直接影响。最后，文章认为检查可以监督实践，同时也有助于改进实践并为员工提供一种反思他们工作的方式，但这种平衡很难实现。最后，本文考虑了这些调查结果对监察局和缓刑服务的影响。文章认为，检查可以监督实践，同时也有助于改进实践并为员工提供反思工作的方式，但这种平衡很难实现。最后，本文考虑了这些调查结果对监察局和缓刑服务的影响。文章认为，检查可以监督实践，同时也有助于改进实践并为员工提供反思工作的方式，但这种平衡很难实现。最后，本文考虑了这些调查结果对监察局和缓刑服务的影响。