NCJ Number
52843
Journal
British Journal of Social Work Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (SUMMER 1977) Pages: 131-154
Date Published
1977
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THE EXTENT TO WHICH PROBATION OFFICERS SUBSCRIBE TO A TREATMENT APPROACH TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 18 OFFICERS IN 2 BRITISH AGENCIES.
Abstract
INDEPTH INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE OFFICERS, WHO ALSO COMPLETED A WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRE (A LIKERT SCALE) DESIGNED TO MEASURE THEIR TREATMENT ORIENTATION. THE INTERVIEWS WERE BASED ON THE CONTENT OF SOCIAL INQUIRY REPORTS IN WHICH THE OFFICERS HAD RECOMMENDED DISPOSITIONS IN SPECIFIC CASES. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT SOME OFFICERS APPEAR TO BE MORE TREATMENT ORIENTED THAN OTHERS, BUT THAT NO OFFICER IS CONSISTENTLY TREATMENT ORIENTED IN ALL CASES. THE LIKERT FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT EXPERIENCED OFFICERS TEND TO BE MORE TREATMENT ORIENTED THAN THEIR YOUNGER COLLEAGUES. BUT THE SOCIAL INQUIRY PRACTICES INDICATE NO DIFFERENCE IN THIS RESPECT. EVERY OFFICER HELD A TREATMENT ORIENTATION TOWARD SOME CASES BUT NOT TOWARD OTHERS, WITH A TREATMENT-ORIENTED RECOMMENDATION BEING MOST LIKELY FOR OFFENDERS WITH RELATIVELY SERIOUS CRIMINAL RECORDS AND PERSONAL/SOCIAL PROBLEMS. CASE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATE THE VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH THE OFFICERS ASSESSED OFFENDERS AND SUGGEST THAT THE OFFICERS REGARDED CERTAIN SENTENCES OTHER THAN PROBATION AS TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR OFFENDERS. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS FOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICES ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING THE NEED TO CONSIDER TREATMENT ORIENTATIONS IN RELATION TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY ARE APPLIED, THAT IDEOLOGIES APPEAR TO BE MEDIATED BY THE EXIGENCIES OF PRACTICE MAY BE ONE REASON FOR THE APPARENT COEXISTENCE OF NOTIONS ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY AND TREATMENT IN SOCIAL WORK. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)