Hostel Inspection
| Author | Jean Atkinson |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059404100128 |
| Published date | 01 March 1994 |
| Date | 01 March 1994 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Part of our job is surely to do that
analysis, and in so doing to define what
LETTE
RS
we regard as ’relevant information’. We
are all trained in sociology, criminology,
psychology, child development, mental
health, social work methods, penology,
etc. We are skilled and experienced in
Unique Perspective
dealing with all sorts of people and
situations. Why is it that so little of this
As a court-based probation officer whose
permeates into our reports? We have
work involves monitoring large numbers
vacated our own field. No-one has asked
of Pre-Sentence Reports, I strongly
us to do this, yet in so doing we leave
endorse the comments and sentiments
ourselves vulnerable to those that think
expressed by your Northumbrian
that the job can be done just as well by
correspondents ’Reporting by Numbers’
redundant army sergeants.
(PJ December 1993). Many in the
Pre-sentence reports as ’objective’
Probation Service seem too readily to
professional documents, written creatively
have given up the language of social
by skilled practitioners (a paragraph
work in favour of that of lawyers. This
headed ’Assessment’ would not come
involves a misinterpretation of our role
amiss!) would do much to raise our
and is not required of us by any
credibility in courts and encourage
guidance we have received since the 1991
sentencers to make more subtle
Criminal Justice Act.
judgements about seriousness and desert.
True, we have to gauge seriousness
There is a radical edge to this. Many
accurately, exclude irrelevant information
pre-sentence reports, by default, present
and generally be offence focused, but
offenders as foolish individuals requiring
this was m any case a matter of good
finely graded punishment, rather than
practice in the latter days of social
complex social beings caught up in
enquiry reports.
situations not wholly of their own
Too many reports these days are
making. Is it any wonder that probation
brief and descriptive with little analysis
orders are in decline?...
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