Charlie Come Home
| Author | David Baillie |
| Date | 01 June 1967 |
| Published date | 01 June 1967 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455056701300202 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
The Howard Journal sees the service (as do some of its members) moving
further into the penal field and dealing with more serious offenders than hitherto,
with a possible closer administrative link with the prison department. Robert
Needham in the British Journal of Criminology thinks the independent status of
the service should be emphasised by the transfer of ultimate responsibility for
it to the Lord Chancellor’s Department. The Scottish White Paper recommends
(for Scotland) the extinction of a separate service and its inclusion within a single
wide-ranging local authority service; and the Seebohm Committee-recognising
that probation is not a local authority service and therefore not within its terms
of reference-has nevertheless received and cannot ignore a minority view from
some London probation officers suggesting that the probation service should be
part of the local authority establishment, though the more representative evidence
from the Association discussed the relationship between an independent pro-
bation service and any reconstructed local authority social service.
Who will resolve this dilemma? It probably cannot be resolved until the func-
tions of the service are more clearly defined. Wculd a comprehensive family
service (for example) undertake matrimonial and adoption work’? Would a court
social service be desirable to deal with anything coming before the courts which
required the attention of a social worker? (but which courts? Divorce courts?
County courts?). Or should court social work be regarded as part of the respon-
sibility of a general social work service while the problems of crime are dealt
with by specialists? The permutations are numerous.
So far, no changes in the general organisation of the probation service (outside
Scotland) have been even vaguely suggested in any official circles, and the
Morison Committee certainly saw no need for change except to bring the Scottish
organisation more nearly into line with that south of the border. Alarms and
fears about &dquo;take overs&dquo; and the like reveal a lack of confidence by officers in
their own service (and their Association). It would be healthy, nevertheless, in
these rapidly changing days, for the service to examine the problems of its own
functions and the necessary organisation, as an exercise undertaken on its own
initiative and not under pressure from commissions or committees of enquiry.
This is a matter in which the Central Council of Probation Committees might
join, if it can overcome its apparent hesitation about making any statement
which might be regarded as political. The service and its employing committees
are established in a sufficiently strong position to exert pressure if they develop
a strong desire to change the existing pattern of organisation or administration.
CHARLIE COME HOME
A Town becomes involved in After-Care
David Baillie
Birkenhead Probation Service
[Note. The use of volunteer help in the after-care of offenders poses many
problems; but it must be seen primarily as a means of involving the community,
in the responsibility for the rehabilitation of offenders. In many areas of
the country schemes are evolving with this object; the principal probation
ofhcer for Birkenhead here describes (at our request) what has been done in
36
one area; as he says, this is not a blue-print, but an example, of community
involvement.
Editor].
THIS IS THE STORY of a new beginning. It is the story told at your editor’s
request of how Birkenhead, a town of some 150,000 people has become involved
in the after-care of prisoners. It is not a blue-print. Other towns have done
much more. We are only at the beginning of community involvement.
After we had read and re-read the Home Office Circular, &dquo; The Organisation
of After-Care &dquo;, the fact appeared inescapable that the probation service must
re-think the whole approach of working with the offender in the community.
It seemed to demand a whole new appraisal of our job.
Whether our basis has been Christianity, case-work, or both, we have always
known that good relationships are the pre-requisite of acceptable behaviour
but...
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