Performance targeting has developed differently in the three key criminal justice agencies, police, prison and probation. The differences have, arguably, reflected both the character of the organisation and the specific history of the agency. Exploration of a performance culture, therefore, should reflect the commonalities and differences in the three arms of provision. In this article representatives of police, prison and probation present their own accounts of central performance issues (These accounts were made available as workshops during the conference). I, as author, have then brought these accounts together in order to provide interrogation of common, or uncommon, factors that can shed light on the central question: Is performance targeting beneficial or otherwise in meeting the needs of a diverse user group?