NCJ Number
92863
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 47 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1983) Pages: 7-10
Date Published
1983
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The practical world of probation does not mesh with the academic world of criminal justice education. The academic world emphasizes facts, theory, knowledge, and empirical research, while the work-a-day world of probation must respond to bureaucratically determined guidelines and regulations as well as real probation issues.
Abstract
The principal areas of probation work are presentence investigations and supervision. In the development of a sentencing recommendation, probation officers and judges emphasize logic that is equated with common sense, such as a defendant should not be recommended for probation if he/she has a heavy record, has done poorly on probation or parole in the past, or is not employed or in school. In this context, logic is equated with common-sense value judgments. In the academic world, on the other hand, logic must be based in empirical findings, and research designs and analysis form the context for decisionmaking. Academic work on probation supervision discusses stigma and secondary deviance derived from labeling theory, probation conditions as punishment, and the loss of self esteem due to the probation experience. Probation officials generally do not take these considerations into account. Success and failure are simply measured by whether or not the offender conforms to the probation conditions set by the court. For the practitioner, the academic's complex measures of the effectiveness of probation are too elusive and long-term.