This article examines the centrality of victim issues within probation practice in an era of well-publicised, political rhetoric which claims that consideration for victims of crime is now central to the policies and practices of the Criminal Justice System. From the perspective of the Probation Service some, such as Williams, claims that this has represented a cultural shift, facilitating a ‘more rounded picture’ (1999 p113). However, others argue that raising the victims profile has been an ongoing effort within the Probation Service for the last twenty years (Crawford and Enterkin, 1999). The research on which this article is based follows a curiosity about how real and radical this shift is at practice level and to identify the extent of any gaps between rhetoric, policy and practice. Though conducted in only one Probation Area (not that in which the author currently works), as part of the degree element of the Diploma in Probation Studies (DipPS), it provides food for thought and hopefully a basis for further investigation.