STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFERENTIAL RECRUITMENT

• NCJ Number: 16515
• Journal: Social Work Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1974) Pages: 467-476
• Author(s): A E MELZER; M HAUG
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: National Assoc of School Workers
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT OF AN IN-SERVICE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR JUVENILE COURT PROBATION PERSONNEL AND ITS EFFECT IN MAKING UNTRAINED PROBATION OFFICERS MORE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR CLIENTS.

Abstract

THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRAM ON CLIENT WELFARE ORIENTATION (CWO) WAS STUDIED USING A QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TO AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, A CONTROL GROUP, AND THE SUPERVISORS. STAFF WHO WERE EXPOSED TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM REGISTERED HIGHER CWO SCORES AFTER THE SESSIONS, BEYOND CHANCE EXPECTATIONS. THE CWO SCORES OF STAFF WHO DID NOT ATTEND THE TRAINING SESSION ACTUALLY DECLINED SLIGHTLY OVER TIME. THESE DIFFERENCES EMERGED ALTHOUGH THE FACT THAT THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, WHICH RECEIVED THE TRAINING, AND THE CONTROL GROUP, WHICH DID NOT, COULD NOT BE KEPT SEPARATE DURING THE EDUCATION PROGRAM PERIOD, SINCE BOTH WERE SELECTED AT RANDOM FROM A STAFF THAT SHARED OFFICES AND DUTIES IN THE SAME JUVENILE COURT. UNDERSCORING THE SELECTIVE IMPACT OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM IS THE FINDING THAT NEITHER GROUP CHANGED ITS OPINION OF THEIR SUPERVISORS' CWO, A MEASURE THAT HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO REMAIN CONSTANT SINCE NO EXPERIMENTAL INTERVENTION OCCURRED AFFECTING THE SUPERVISOR'S ORIENTATION. CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS SEEM TO LEAD TO INCREASED CWO. THUS OLDER STAFF WHO ARE WITHOUT SOCIAL AGENCY EXPERIENCE, BUT WHO HAVE A PRIOR WORK HISTORY, A DESIRE TO SERVE HUMANITY, AND A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE OF PROBATION WORK ARE OPEN TO THE EFFECTS OF TRAINING. ANOTHER GROUP WHOSE INITIAL CWO SCORE IS RELATIVELY HIGH BUT WHO NEVERTHELESS INCREASE THEIR SCORES AFTER TRAINING ARE THOSE NEW ON THE JOB, BUT WITH A BACKGROUND OF STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, OR SOCIAL WORK. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR RECRUITMENT ARE THAT OLDER PERSONS WITH HUMANITARIAN INCLINATIONS BUT WITHOUT SPECIFIC SOCIAL AGENCY EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE JOB BUT HAVE AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES ARE DESIRABLE CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT SINCE THESE PERSONS ARE AMENABLE TO INTENSIVE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)