probation forum
| DOI | 10.1177/026455057101700309 |
| Published date | 01 September 1971 |
| Date | 01 September 1971 |
| Author | A.A. Nici-Iolson |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
91
probation
forum
TOWARDS
A
MORE
RATIONAL
SYSTEM
OF
’
BORSTAL
ALLOCATION
AND
TREATMENT 7
THE
NUMBER
of
Borstal
trainees
has
almost
trebled
within
twelve
years
and
the
system
of
allocation
remains
unchanged
in
principle.
What
constitutes
allocation?
At
a
time
when
numbers
permitted,
the
Borstal
trainee
was
subjected
to
a
leisurely,
diagnostic
process
consisting
of
both
clinical
assessments
and
some
objec-
tive
tests.
The
trainee
was
then
matohed
to
a
Borstal
regime
thought
best
capable
of
meeting
his
particular
needs.
Workers
participating
in
this
process
found
the
work
satisfying
but
it
is
arguable
in
terms
of
reconviction
rates
whether
it
mattered
where
the
trainee
went.
The
increasing
number
of
offenders
allocated
at
the
two
Centres
with
largely
the
same
resources
and
potential
treatment
outlets,
together
with
the
advent
of
Mountbatten
and
the
emphasis
on
security,
has
effectively
reduced
the
process
to
a
routine,
and
Allocation
Centres
could
best
be
described
as
Dispersal
Centres.
This
is
unsatisfying
for the
staff
but
it
is
unlikely
that the
success
rates
will
be
affected
for
a
number
of
reasons.
Treatment
regimes
depend
a
great
deal
on
the
ideals
and
aptitudes
of
the
staff
who
control
them
and
are
therefore
subject
to
change.
It
is
difficult
for
outsiders
to
match
an
individual
to
a
particular
treatment
regime
from a
catalogue
of
criteria,
for
notification
of
changes
lags
behind
the
change
itself.
Furthermore.
what
is
intended
to
constitute
the
basis
of
a
treatment
regime
may
not
be
what
in
fact
takes
place.
For
example,
a
Borstal
considered
to
offer
psychiatric
facilities
may
only
be
offering
treatment
to
a
few.
The
gap
between
the
Allocation
Centre
and
the
treatment
regimes
is
too
wide
to
be
bridged,
and
diagnosticians
in
the
field
of
human
behavour
cannot
for
long
operate
successfully
in
total
isolation
from
the
treatment
setting.
It
also
needs
to
be
remembered
that
the
aspect
of
treatment
is
only
one
:facet
of
a
delinquent’s
life
which
of
necessity
must
be
main-
tained.
Thus,
in
terms
of
social
contacts
and
useful
after-care,
geographical
factors
could
be
considered
to
~be
of
paramount
importance
to
allocation.
As
most
Borstal
inmates
can
be
expected
to
return
to
the
community
whence
they
came,
there
seems
to
~be
a
need
for
Comprehensive
Borstals
based
near
large
conurbations
where
diagnosis
and
treatment
could
be
combined
for
the
majority,
whilst
satellites
could
provide
specialist
functions
in
close
liaison
and
under
the
control
of
the
Comprehensive.
This
could
result
in
improving
diagnostic
skills
and
providing
realistic
treatment
in
line
with
changing
needs.
If
penal
.institutions
are
to
emerge
from
community
isolation,
this
is
probably
one
method
by
which
this
aim
could
be
achieved
successfully.
It
is
possible
to
suggest,
as
the
British
Association
of
Social
Workers
has,
that
the
Borstal
sentence
should
disappear
and
be
replaced
by
a
Custody
Order
or,
to
follow
the
pattern
of
the
Children
and
Young
Person’s
Act
more
logically, a
Senior
Care
Order.
The
limit
of
the
custody
period
could
remain
two
years
as
at
present
but
it
should
be
left
to
an
executive
body
to
determine
how
and
where
the
sentence
is
served.
There
is
no
doubt
that
some
offenders
could
remain
at
home
under
probation
supervision
whilst
others
could
spend
periods
in
hostels.
Others
would
require
more
concentrated
attention
which
could
be
provided
by
Borstals
suitably
remoulded.
A
combination
of
all
the
available
facilities
could
be
possible,
with
the
aim
of
achieving
maximum
flexibility.
The
executive
body
would
undoubtedly
be
constituted
from
representatives
of
the
probation
service,
the
borstal
service
and
other
community
services.
This
would
call
for
extensive
co-operation
if
not
combination
of
the
various
interested
parties
and
it
would
appear
to
have
the
advantage
of
injecting
realism
into
diagnosis
and
dynamism
into
treatment.
A.
A.
NICI-IOLSON
To continue reading
Request your trial