The National Probation Service says that re-offending rates can be reduced from 50 to 35 per cent if criminals take part in schemes such as those used to treat drug and alcohol addiction. But the trade union and campaigning group, which represents more than 9,000 probation and family court staff throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, predicts that the number of successfully completed schemes will fall if government departmental cuts proceed as planned because the service will lose experienced staff. "This will increase re-offending rates and create more victims," said the group more commonly known as Napo.