NCJ Number
63070
Date Published
1976
Length
20 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT CONTAINS DATA ON VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT WITH PROBATION SERVICES IN PROBATION AND AFTERCARE AGENCIES IN ENGLAND AND WALES.
Abstract
THE SURVEY WAS UNDERTAKEN BY THE VOLUNTEER CENTER AND CARRIED OUT BY MEANS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE SENT TO THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER OF 55 PROBATION SERVICES, OF WHICH 48 RESPONDED. RESULTS SHOW A NOMINAL NUMBER OF 4,565 ACCREDITED AND 1,515 NONACCREDITED VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH SOME 5,000 PROBATION OFFICERS OF ALL RANKS. MOST SERVICES ENCOURAGE OFFICE-BASED GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS TO MEET EVERY 4-6 WEEKS. IN OVER HALF THE SERVICES, ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF VOLUNTEERS IS RETAINED BY THE SERVICE; 20 SERVICES ALLOW THE VOLUNTEERS MINIMAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE HIGHEST RATIO OF VOLUNTEER TO OFFICER EXCEEDS 2 TO 1, WHILE THE LOWEST IS 1 TO 11. WELSH SEVICES USE FEW VOLUNTEERS. AN OFFICER, WHOSE RANK VARIES, IS USED BY MOST SERVICES FOR THE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS. NINE SERVICES, HOWEVER, DELEGATE ONE OR MORE OF THESE FUNCTIONS TO VOLUNTEERS. THE MOST POPULAR USE OF VOLUNTEERS REMAINS THE TRADITIONAL ONE OF BEFRIENDING, WHILE THE LEAST POPULAR ONES INVOLVE EXPERIMENTAL AREAS SUCH AS DIVERSION AND BAIL SCHEMES. ONE POPULAR SCHEME IS THE USE OF OFFENDERS AND EX-OFFENDERS AS VOLUNTEERS. SERVICES STATE THAT THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS USED BY THEIR STAFF, BUT MOST OF THEM DO NOT PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH SPECIFIC IN-SERVICE TRAINING ON THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS. WHILE 12 SERVICES SPEND OVER 50 POUNDS PER YEAR PER VOLUNTEER, 9 SERVICES SPEND LESS THAN 10 POUNDS PER YEAR. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)