NCJ Number
52841
Journal
British Journal of Social Work Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUTUMN 1972) Pages: 313-322
Date Published
1972
Length
10 pages
Annotation
ORGANIZATIONAL (EFFICIENCY OF OPERATION) AND FUNCTIONAL (EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE) OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE BRITISH PROBATION SERVICE ARE EXAMINED, AND PRESSURES FOR EMPHASIS ON THE LATTER ARE IDENTIFIED.
Abstract
DURING THE 1960'S, THE PROBATION SERVICE ABSORBED ITS INCREASING RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE AREAS OF SOCIAL ENQUIRY WORK, PAROLE, AFTERCARE SERVICES, AND PRISON WELFARE FAIRLY SMOOTHLY. EVEN THE INEVITABLE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES THAT ACCOMPANIED THE SERVICES'S GROWTH WERE LESS DISRUPTIVE THAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED. ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THE SERVICE HAS ATTAINED A GREAT MANY ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES SINCE 1960, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE EXTENT TO WHICH FUNCTIONAL OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN MET. SUCH AN ASSESSMENT REQUIRES A CLARIFICATION OF PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS. THE SERVICE APPEARS TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE STANDARD BY WHICH IT MEASURES ITSELF. ALTHOUGH MOST OFFICERS STILL ACCEPT THAT THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION REMAINS THAT OF EXERCISING OVERSIGHT OF OFFENDERS ON BEHALF OF THE COURT AND THE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE DISTINCT SIGNS THAT PRESSURE WILL BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE SERVICE TO ADOPT A MORE TREATMENT-ORIENTED APPROACH. FOUR SEPARATE INFLUENCES ARE AT WORK: (1) THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY TEND TO HAVE GREATER EXPECTATIONS OF THE SERVICE, WITH RESPECT TO ITS ABILITY TO CHANGE OFFENDERS' ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR, THAN THE SERVICE HAS OF ITSELF; (2) COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO IMPRISONMENT IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR IDEA; (3) THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION IS REEXAMINING ITS TRADITIONAL CASEWORK TECHNIQUES AND DOCTRINES, WITH A VIEW TO GREATER EXPERIMENTATION WITH DIFFERENT METHODS OF TREATMENT; AND (4) PROBATION OFFICERS THEMSELVES HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THAT, FOR SOME CLIENTS AT LEAST, SIMPLE SUPERVISION IS NOT ENOUGH. THE SHIFT TO A CORRECTIONAL, AS OPPOSED TO A STRICTLY SUPERVISORY, ROLE IS BOUND TO DISTURB THE ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THE SERVICE AND TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLACE OF CASEWORK THEORY IN THE TRAINING AND SUPERVISION OF PROBATION OFFICERS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)