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After nearly 20 years in the top role at the Probation Service, Anna Guilbert is stepping down, swapping the "challenging" yet "rewarding" job for a quieter life in retirement.
Mrs Guilbert trained as a Probation Officer at Green-Templeton College Oxford, qualifying in 1982.
She first joined the service locally as a Probation Officer in 1997 and, using her experience from Victim Support in England, supported the creation of a victim support scheme in Guernsey, which was founded the following year.
Following her promotion to Senior Probation Officer in 1999, Mrs Guilbert took on primary responsibility for setting up probation services in the prison.
"Prison and probation services have developed an increasingly integrated offender management service over the years to ensure prisoners can keep contact with their Probation Officer through any custodial sentence, allowing offender behaviour work to continue in prison," she explained.
Pictured: Anna Guilbert has retired from the local Probation Service following a career spanning more than two decades.
In 2001, Mrs Guilbert was appointed Chief Probation Officer and has held the role ever since.
“Probation has changed immensely in the last two decades," she said. "Notably, community service began in 2009 and there have been big changes in working with offenders convicted of sexual offences, and domestic abuse perpetrators."
Together with colleagues from Guernsey Police, Education and Children's Services, Mrs Guilbert was a driving force in setting up a local domestic abuse forum, which developed into the charity 'Options' and later into 'Safer'.
“Looking back over my time at probation, I really feel my main achievement has been the development of a highly respected and professional team of probation staff," she added. "We have focused on training local candidates to be Probation Officers and these professionals have really added to the strength of the service.
“My role has been varied, at times challenging, but always rewarding. I have had the immense privilege and pleasure of working with utterly fantastic, dedicated and hardworking colleagues who make an extremely valuable contribution to the criminal justice system.
“The changes in how probation delivers its services since I started have been significant.
"I have loved my career and will retire with fond memories of all the amazing colleagues I have worked with over the years."
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