NCJ Number
61326
Journal
Justitiele verkenningen Volume: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 5-24
Date Published
1977
Length
20 pages
Annotation
USE AND SELECTION RATIONALE FOR VOLUNTEERS WORKING TO HELP EX-CONVICTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE DUTCH PROBATION SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATED.
Abstract
AFTER A MARKED GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL PROBATION WORKERS FROM THE END OF WORLD WAR II TO THE EARLY 70'S, EMPHASIS HAS ONCE AGAIN SHIFTED TO THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS. VOLUNTEERS ARE FAVORED BECAUSE THEY RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF OVERWORKED PROFESSIONALS AND ARE INEXPENSIVE; THEY ARE ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN ASSISTING WITH CULTURAL, FINANCIAL, AND MATERIAL REHABILITATION OF EX-OFFENDERS. VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE PROBATION SYSTEM ARE USUALLY RECRUITED THROUGH MEDIA CAMPAIGNS OR ADVERTISING AND ARE OSTENSIBLY SELECTED ACCORDING TO CLASS, AGE AND SEX CHARACTERISTICS COMPATIBLE WITH THOSE OF THE EX-OFFENDERS. IN PRACTICE, VOLUNTEERS ARE MIDDLE-CLASS, WHITE-COLLAR ADULTS BETWEEN 26 AND 40 YEARS OLD. ALMOST ALL RECEIVE TRAINING IN KEEPING WITH THE PARTICULAR PROGRAM. THE ADVANTAGES OF USING VOLUNTEERS INCLUDE THE GREATER TRUST OF EX-OFFENDERS IN VOLUNTEERS THAN IN PROFESSIONALS, THE ROLE MODEL FUNCTION OF VOLUNTEERS, THE INTERMEDIARY SERVICES RENDERED BY VOLUNTEERS BETWEEN EX-OFFENDERS AND PROFESSIONALS OR THE OUTSIDE WORLD, THE TIME AND CONTACTS MADE AVAILABLE TO EX-OFFENDERS BY VOLUNTEERS. DISADVANTAGES CITED IN SOME CASES ARE THE PREDOMINANTLY MIDDLE-CLASS ORIGINS OF VOLUNTEERS, THE ADDITIONAL WORK AND EXPENSE CAUSED BY VOLUNTEERS, VOLUNTEERS' INABILITY TO HANDLE SERIOUS CASES, THE LIMITED SPHERE OF PROBLEMS TREATABLE BY VOLUNTEERS, AND THE LOW QUALITY OF VOLUNTEERS. FURTHER DISADVANTAGES ARE THE TENDENCY OF VOLUNTEERS TO BECOME DISILLUSIONED, QUESTIONED, ABOUT THE ACTUAL INTENTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS, EX-OFFENDER DISTRUST OF VOLUNTEERS AFFILIATED WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE UNCLEAR DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND PROFESSIONALS. VOLUNTEERS OUTSIDE THE PROBATION SYSTEM ARE RESPONSIBLE TO A GROUP OF OTHER VOLUNTEERS RATHER THAN TO A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION. THIS ARRANGEMENT LESSENS THE FEELINGS OF EX-OFFENDERS THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DOMINATES THEIR LIVES. MOST VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS AND ABROAD RECRUIT THEIR VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL CLASSES AND DO NOT REQUIRE SPECIAL TRAINING. ALTHOUGH EVALUATION OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IS VERY DIFFICULT WITHOUT ADEQUATE SUCCESS CRITERIA, EVIDENCE TO DATE SUGGESTS THAT VOLUNTEERS ARE AT LEAST AS SUCCESSFUL AS PROFESSIONALS IN REHABILITATING EX-OFFENDERS. THE RESULTS OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS INDICATE THAT IN HOLLAND VOLUNTEERS ARE BEST SUITED TO FUNCTIONS SUCH AS VISITING EX-OFFENDERS TO BE RELEASED, SERVING AS CONTACTS FOR EX-OFFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND AIDING EX-OFFENDERS IN FINDING JOBS, HOUSING, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, WHILE PROFESSIONAL PROBATION OFFICERS SHOULD STILL HANDLE MENTALLY DISTURBED AND ADDICTED OFFENDERS. FURTHERMORE, THE USE OF VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE PROBATION SYSTEM SEEMS PREFERABLE IN THE DUTCH CONTEXT BECAUSE VOLUNTEERS FROM SUCH GROUPS ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAINTAIN A NONPATRONIZING RELATIONSHIP TO EX-OFFENDERS. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. - IN DUTCH.