NCJ Number
136238
Date Published
1991
Length
136 pages
Annotation
Information gathered from probation officers in northern England and western Canada during 1989-90 formed the basis of an analysis of the problems that these personnel confront when working with sex offenders.
Abstract
The information came from loosely structured interviews with individual probation officers and workshop discussions exploring the implications of various aspects of their work. The interviews included 12 men and 13 women working in generic teams, 4 male senior probation officers, 2 male probation officers and their supervisor working in a specialized unit for sex offenders, and 1 female psychologist working with sex offenders. The analysis used a feminist perspective. It concluded that gender is not considered explicitly either in work with sex offenders or in the working relationships of probation officers, although the dominant ideology of masculinity endorses sexual assault and provides an avenue through which sex offenders affirm their manhood. In addition, the probation service is poorly equipped to handle work with sex offenders. Moreover, female probation officers' specific needs as women working with sex offenders are not considered by the probation service, and the loss of equal employment opportunities for females can be ensured. Recommended guidelines are presented for probation practice. Index, appended questionnaire, and 361 references