Book Reviews : A Man of Good Abilities Tony Parker Hutchinson. 30s
| Published date | 01 March 1968 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455056801400118 |
| Date | 01 March 1968 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
28
of
the
present
need,
of
hostels
were
ex-
prisoners
arse
received.
Following
the
description
of
the
con-
di-tions
of
work
in
the
establishments
covered
by
the
report,
there
are
14
re-
commendations
made.
Whilst
one
would
have
,liked
more
detailed
:recommenda-
tion
as
to
salary
scarlets,
the
committee
is
on
the ’whole
aware
of
the
need
for
much
more
consideration
to
be
given
to
hours
of
work
(a
40
hour
week
is
mentioned
as
the
norm)
and
accommo-
dation
for
the
staff.
Probation
officers
might
consider
the
suggestion
made
here,
that
there
should
be
a
bonus
for
every
five
years
of
completed
service.
There
a.re
sections
on
recruitment
and
training
with
subsequent
recommenda-
tions.
One
likes
the
recommendations
that
there
should
be
a
national
training
body
to
foster
training
developments,
set
standards
and
encourage
research.
On
’recruitment,
the
committee
has
little
that
is
original
to
suggest,
but
it
does
say
that
steps
should
be
taken
to
facili-
taste
the
movement
of
workers
from
one
part
of
residential
work
to
another.
The
report
is
not
comprehensive,
nor
are
the
recommendations
as
bold
as
one
might
wish.
However,
it
provides
a
basis
for
further
though
on
a
very
real
problem.
H.H.
The
Prevention
and
Control
of
Delinquency
Robert
W.
MacIver
Atherton
Press
(New
York).
$2.95
This
book
by
one
of
America’s
leading
sociologists
aims
to
rrovide
-the
reader
with
a
perspective
on
juvenile
delin-
quency
as
it
has
developed
in
the
United
States,
and
to
try
to
show
how
existing
knowledge
bears
on
the
question
of
its
prevention
and
control.
Dr.
MacIver’s
survey
of
the
American
scene
is
both
through
and
enlightening
and
one
can
appreciate
why
a
wark
of
this
depth
seemed
a
necessary
addition
to
the
al-
ready
formidable
volume
of
American
literature
on
the
subject
of
delinquency
prevention.
The
author
puts
forward
well
con-
sidered
critiques
of
several
ourrent
theories
concerning
the
causation
of
de-
linq~uency
which
help
to
substantiate
his
claim
that
there
remains
&dquo;a
failure
to
get
down
to
the
roots
of
the
problem&dquo;.
The
first
two
sections
of
the
book
focus
more
specifically
on
the
realities
of
American
life
and
culture
and
consider-
.able
emphasis
is
placed
on
&dquo;urbanised
poverty
and
ethnic
or
racial
discrimina-
tion&dquo;.
The
contents
of
the
ea.rlier
chap-
ters,
although
of
interest,
probably
offer
rather
less
of
value
to
the
English
social
worker
than
the
final
section.
In
part
three
the
author
stresses
the
need
for
a
dynamic
and
centralised
over-all
strategy
with
a
firm
emphasis
on
community
or
neighbourhood
in-
volvement.
After
raising
broad
conside-
rations
Dr.
Maclver
moves
to
the
more
specific.
He
makes
separate
and
care-
ful
study
of
community
progra.mmes,
the
police,
the
court
including
the
role
of
probation,
and
the
custodial
institu-
tion.
Existing
practices,
which
vary
widely
from
s,tate
to
state,
are
outlined.
Deficiencies
are
very
properly
shown
and
the
remedies
proposed
should
stim-
ulate
the
interest
of
anyone
in
this
coun-
try
concerned
with
the
problem
of
the
young
offender.
JIM
PERRY
A
Man
of
Good
Abilities
Tony
Parker
Hutchinson.
30s.
Tony
Parker
writes
again
- or
ra,ther,
lets
someone
else
write
for
him.
He
was
invited
by
another
of
his
&dquo;unknown
citizens&dquo;
to
contribute
to
a
prison
maga-
zine
and
in
his
generosity
he
expressed
interest
in
the
prisoner-editor.
At
first
there
was
no
response,
and
then
came
a
response
which had
him
’worried.
Good
honest
burglars
and
straightforward
criminals
are
alright,
but
this
man
sounded
like
a
false
pretence
merchant,
and
&dquo;you
never
know
where
you
are&dquo;
with
those
chaps.
However,
despite
~his
glibness
and
his
penchant
for the
clich6
this
man
turned
out
to
be
a
bit
of
an
-all-rounder,
and
a
very
intelligent
one
too.
Tony
Parker
- as
usual
-
persuaded
him
to
talk
and
the
tape-recordings
are
all
here.
But
so
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