The intention was that their work would replace that done by existing Probation Trusts in England and Wales; and that in addition CRCs would have responsibility for the supervision of the rehabilitation of offenders serving short-term prison sentences.
A separate public-sector National Probation Service was to be established to manage the supervision and rehabilitation of medium and high risk of serious harm offenders.
[3] Over the course of 2013 and 2014 MoJ established 21 geographical Contract Package Areas to cover England and Wales, and devised a contractual framework and bidding process by which contracts for each area might be let to a CRC.
[4][5] In June 2014, staff of existing Probation Trusts were allocated either the new National Probation Service, or else to the notional CRC that was to assume control of offenders in the Trust area, with the intention that staff allocated to CRCs would be transferred (TUPed) across to actual CRCs upon their formation.
The bidding process came to an end and CRC contracts were let in December 2014, with the new regime coming into full effect in February 2015.