Can Probation Influence the Prison Crisis?
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058703400324 |
| Published date | 01 September 1987 |
| Date | 01 September 1987 |
| Author | David Luff |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
should have been set up by now, under probation
officers, which only represents one year’s tram-
aegis; and yet we have here the suggestion that
ing quota, the Probation Service could, within a
probation should never be recommended!
very short time span, relieve the prison over-
SER’s should be impartial and credible; the
crowding by up to 10,000 individuals who could
NAPO
suggestions are partial and mcredible.
be automatically released on Parole until the end
JOHN GOSLIN
of their sentence within the community.
Crown Court Liaison Officer,
The statistical success of the Parole scheme
Bournemouth
should reassure the general public of our ability at
protecting them from offenders, whilst funds for
Can Probation Influence the
such an exercise might well be diverted from the
saved costs of
Prison Crisis?
prison building. These savings
could be startling and our effectiveness, both m
With probation practice having become much
supervision and in cost benefit, contrasts with the
more
focussed m
recent years, national and local
failure of the prison system both m its training
aims and objectives clearly specified, and an
and m
its rehabilitation and the consequentially
intention to provide more radical alternatives to
high re-offending rates.
prison, why does the prison population continue
The Probation Service and NAPO
have always
to mcrease? 1986 so far has seen a reduction in
been at the forefront of change, be it develop-
cases dealt with by Magistrates Court, fewer
mental, orgamc or radical, but we have often
SIRs prepared, and a reduction m the number of
been diffident about sellmg ourselves to our
people being placed on Commumty Service.
political masters and to the community at large.
It is time that the Probation Service spoke with
Most probation officers feel keenly about the
a national voice about what we
have on offer. Do
current crisis within the prison system. We
have
the general public, or the politicians, know that
a moral and a...
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