CRIMINALS are to be given treatment to stop them beating their partners -- even if they have never been convicted of domestic violence.

New Lancashire Probation Service boss Bob Mathers (right) revealed the crackdown after being unveiled as the chief officer yesterday.

Mr Mathers, 57, who replaces John Crawforth, also said a priority would be making sure more criminals complied with punishment orders.

And he revealed his aim of turning the service into one of the best in the country after inheriting what he said was a successful organisation.

Mr Mathers, who was acting chief officer for Greater Manchester before his new appointment, revealed that Lancashire Probation Service was setting up a dedicated domestic violence unit and had drawn up a new programme for staff.

The news came after the Home Office said that a person is arrested for domestic violence in Lancashire every 90 minutes, the sixth highest level in the country.

Mr Mathers said the new unit's first priority would be to look after victims, but revealed that another approach would be getting officers to delve into the background of criminals convicted of other offences such as burglary.

The move is being taken because a lot of unrecorded domestic violence was carried out by criminals.

He said: "We provide programmes that are designed to redirect them from the belief that they are right in relationships to use violence.

"We challenge their thinking because some of this is cultural.

They have grown up somehow to believe that it is okay for men to use violence on women.

Speaking about the fact only 85 per cent of community punishment orders are complied with, he added: "That is something we want to improve.

"It is already a good service but we can achieve more and become one of the best."