Probation Case-Work Basic Principles and Methods (Part II)
| Date | 01 November 1953 |
| Published date | 01 November 1953 |
| Author | Peter W. Paskell |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455055300602401 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
PROBATION
CASE
-
WORK
BASIC
PRINCIPLES
AND
METHODS
(Part
II)
By
PETER
W.
PASKELL,
Principal
Probation
Officer, Nottingham
Combined
Probation
Area
[This
is
the
conclusion
ot
the
paper
given
to
the
United
Nations
Seminar
in
London,
October, 1952,
and
is
published
here
by
permission
ot
U.N.
and
ot
the
writer]
Every
probation
order
produces
its
own
particular
problem
and
the
approach
to every
individual
requires
its
own
technique-technique
because
in
the
first
instance
the
officer's
approach
must
be controlled by
professional skill while
springing
from a
warm
heart.
Ultimately, however,
the
relationship
must
necessarily
be
emotional
rather
than
intellectual, based on
that
stability
which, in
this
sphere
of
frustration,
rejection
and
insecurity, is
indeed
at
apremium.
In
each
case
some
plan
of
treatment
must
as
far
as possible be
conceived, based of necessity on
the
facts as
they
are
then
seen,
but
capable
of modification
and
always
sufficiently flexible to
meet
the
changing
situation.
One
of
the
merits
of
probation
is its flexibility alongside
the
constant
stability
of
the
officer.
Generalisation
is
impossible. Young
children
up to
about
11 years of
age
are
still very
intimately
bound
up
with
their
parents
and
inevitably
in
such
cases
the
officer
directs
his
attention
primarily
to
the
home;
with
older
children
in
the
12 to 16 age group,
where
the
spirit
of
independence
is
beginning
to develop,
the
emphasis
probably
needs to be
first on
the
offender,
with
the
parents
linked in
later.
The
impressionable
teenage
girl offers a different
problem
from
the
harassed
mother
of a
large
family-
the
young adolescent is
not
reached
in
the
same
way
as
the
irresponsible
married
man.
Probation
may
represent
to
the
child
the
first
situation
in
which
he
has
been accepted calmly
and
objectively.
but
warmly.
for
what
he is as
an
individual,
without
threats
or
nromtses,
and
held
to a
standard
of
conduct
which
does
not
constantly
fluctuate;
to
the
young
gangster
it
may
show
that
tough,
anti-social
behaviour
is
not
necessary
to
retain
his
self-respect.
The
variations
are
infinite.
It
would
indeed
be
optimistic
to suppose
that
a
plan
of
campaign
is
readily
apparent
in all cases
and
often
much
of
the
earlier
work will be of
an
exploratory
nature.
Human
problems do
not
fall
readily
into
groups
with
causes
and
remedies following easily to
mind.
Neither, of course, in
the
probation
setting,
do analysis
and
synthesis
fall
into
distinct
phases
and
both
will
continue
side by side
throughout
probation
to
varying
degrees.
The
probation
officer
learns
most
about
his
clients by
encouraging
them
to
talk
freely-to
talk
in
their
own
way
so
that
the
feeling
behind
the
words
lends
colour to what. is
said-while
he
listens
with
an
interested
and
sympathetic
ear,
matched
may
be by a
discreet
and
observant
eye.
The
first
constructive
step
may
well be
taken
at
the
first interview if
the
client
is
led to feel
that
he
is a
person
worthy
of consideration,
attention
and
interest.
for
thus
may
his
opinion of
himself
as a responsible
individual
be increased,
enabling
him
to deal
with
his
own problems
more
adequately.
Again, early interviews
may
elicit
symptoms
of host1l1ty
or
suspicion
toward
the
officer
which
are
really
related
to
earlier
reactions
to
other
people
and
their
expression
may
both
be
enlightening
and
also serve to
draw
otT
venom
which
is
contaminating
the
client's
whole system.
The
appropriate
treatment
for
the
particular
case is
often
evolved
gradually
as
understanding
develops,
and
to
this
end
the
probation
officer
arranges
his
interviews
with
the
probationers,
either
privately
in
an
office, or in
the
home, or
at
any
convenient
meeting
place
and
with
afrequency to be
determined
by
the
needs of
each
case.
The
ftexlbtllty
provided.by
Probation
Rules, 1949
(Rules 51
and
52) allows for
this
individual
arrangement,
for
frequent
visits
at
times of crisis (by no
means
always
at
the
beginning), for Increasing
home
visiting in one
instance,
for meetings only away from
home
In
another.
Work on
the
case does
not
go on only
when
the
officer
and
client
are
together, for
there
will be In all
proba-
blUty a
great
deal of executive
arrangement,
and
certainly
a
great
deal of
consideration
and
planning,
so
that,
however
contact
may
be
arranged,
it
is
thought-
fully conceived With definite
aims
in
mind.
Any
plan
must, of course,
take
note
of
the
material
factors
in
the
situation
(such as employment,
health,
leisure, household
shortages)
which
must
be
dealt
with
and
to
this
end
a wide knowledge is required of
the
various
appropriate
agencies whose services
the
pro-
bationer
can
be encouraged to use.
The
tendency
to do
things
for,
instead
of With,
the
probationer
must
be
avoided-although
it would
often
be
much
easler-for
this
does
not
help
toward
making
an
independent.
capable
person.
Anything
suggesting
charity
may
increase
an
existing sense of
inadequacy
or
may
promote
resentment,
but
by working
with
the
probationer
to cope
with
such
difficulties a
medium
of
contact
is
often
provided
which
helps to
cement
understanding.
Throughout
the
vicissitudes of
the
probation
period
the
officer
must
remain
steady, dependable, unshockable,
able to
withstand
disappointment,
be
understanding
and
secure;
disapproving
maybe
of
certain
conduct
but
unwavering
In his
contact
and
feeling,
encouraging
but
not
patronising,
patient
and
tolerant
but
not
weak.
From
the
first
he
must
make
clear
to
the
offender
the
requirements
of
the
Order
and
the
terms
on
which
society, as
represented
by
the
court, is
prepared
to allow
him
his
liberty.
The
officer
should
epitomise
and
clarify
authority
to
his
client
and
endeavour
to secure
his
acceptance
of
the
reasonable
dictates
of
such
authority
(by
understanding
them
better),
leaving no
doubt
that
the
ultimate
sanction
for disobedience is in
the
hands
of
the
court.
When
the
probationer
shows no desire
or no
ability
to respond to
probation
then
there
can
be
no
doubt
that
the
court
must
be informed. By
doing
this
the
officer does
not
for one
moment
cast
off
the
probationer
and
"the
preservation
of
the
relationship.
throughout
such
a
time
can
be
vital
to
further
construc-
tive
treatment,
whatever
such
treatment
may
need
to
be.
Indeed,
it
is
often
following
such
a
time
of
stress
when
the
probationer,
and
possibly ,his family,
have
seen
the
attitude
of
the
probation
officer
stand
an
exacting
test,
that
progress is really made, for so
often
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