NCJ Number
197224
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 27 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 1-5,22,23
Date Published
September 2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article discusses adult probation officers’ perceptions of the use of discretion within a specific parole and probation agency.
Abstract
Officers from Dauphin County Adult Probation and Parole (DCAPP) in South Central Pennsylvania were surveyed about their perceptions of the use of discretion within that agency. Application of discretionary decision-making to the criminal justice field is not new, but the primary focus has been on the police. The major research questions developed for this study were the opinions of DCAPP probation officers about the use of on-the-job discretion, and whether officers' opinions were significantly influenced by age, race/ethnicity, gender, or number of years with the agency. The study proposed that future examinations include a look at officers' perceptions of the quantifying of decision-making in probation through the use of risk/needs assessments. The study concluded that, overall, DCAPP probation officers felt rather strongly about being included in the development of policies dealing with discretion and actually welcomed such policies. Tables, references