Probation Officer Dear Editor
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058303000425 |
| Author | Michael Varah |
| Date | 01 December 1983 |
| Published date | 01 December 1983 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
159
and
quality
of
teaching,
the
wonderful
group
identity
m
being
a
comparatively
small
group
of
people
from
very
different
backgrounds
and
life
experiences,
made
it
-
for
me
at
least
-
two
of
the
happiest
years
of
my
life.
The
Course,
as
Mr
Bredenkamp
points
out,
made
no
stipulations
as
to
formal
qualifications,
and
many
of
us
had
never
been
in
the
position
of
havmg
to
read
so
much,
imbibe
and
question,
then
write
essays
of
the
type
required
to
obtam
a
CQSW,
m
addition
to
attaimng
what
m
retrospect
were
very
exacting
standards
of work
with
clients.
Like
many
of
the
students
described
by
Mr
Bredenkamp,
I
had
reached
a
pomt
in
my
own
life
when
I
knew
I
had
to
make
a
conscious
change,
and
had
for
some
time
seriously
considered
social
work,
preferably
with
adults,
and
eventually
narrowing
it
down
to
probation
work.
My
background
was
of thirteen
years
secretanal
work
and
only
minimal
voluntary
experience,
as
a
Samantan.
I
doubt
I
would
get
on
a
training
course
now,
and
am
saddened
that
so
many
colleges
now
place
greater
emphasis
on
academic
expertise
and
probation
office
experience
(which
m
my
opimon
frequently
engenders
a
rather jaded
approach
to
the
work),
than
a
genuine
desire
to
contribute
something
of
oneself
and
care
for
others,
based
on
personal
experience
and
self
knowledge.
Ramer
House
has
always
seemed
an
integral
part
of Probation
trammg
and
practice,
providing
a
solid
base
from
which
its
students
can
build.
I
for
one
believe
that
many
of
the
philosophies
of
its
teachers
will
remain
with
me
for
my
working
life,
and
very
much
regret
that
no
more
students
will
benefit
from
that.
Yours
faithfully,
LESLEY
MERVIN
Probation
Officer,
Acton
PRObation
Officer
Dear
Editor,
In
recent
years
the
Service
has
laboured
under
an
increasing
weight
of crimmal legislation
which
has
stretched
its
slender
resources
m
some
areas
to
breaking
point.
Whilst
the
Service
has,
remarkably,
absorbed
this
additional
work
without
a
sigmficant
increase
m
resources,
matters
cannot
continue
m
this
way.
In
the
absence
of
a
National
Public
Relations
Department
the
Service
cannot
hope
to
compete
as
effectively
for
those
much-needed
additional
resources;
despite
the
determined
efforts
of
individuals
within
the
Service,
such
as
David
Mathieson,
who
recogmses
the
importance
of
public
relations
work
in
its
widest
sense.
The
Service
must
acknowledge
its
essentially
amateur
status
m
this
area
and
enlist
the
support
of
a
proven
professional
in
this
field,
a
national
Public
Relations
Officer,
who
is
able
to
promote,
m
a
fundamentally
new
way,
the
importance
of
our
role
and
the
need
for
proper
resources.
Clearly
this
is
not
the
only
way
to
acquire
practical
recognition
of
our
work
and
this
recommendation
should
not
be
pursued
m
isolation
but
in
conjunction
with
other
initiatives.
The
Probation
Service
has
the
capacity
to
campaign
from
a
position
of knowledge
and
experience
m
seeking
new
ways
to
deal
with
offenders
m
an
attempt
to
defuse
the
hostility
which
exists
ill-concealed
within
society.
What
can
the
Probation
Service
do?
A
key
feature
of
any
strategy
adopted
must
be
the
establishment
of
a
steering
committee
at
top
management
level
to
explore
the
feasibility
of
appointing
a
public
relations
consultant
(funded
perhaps
by
a
levy
on
all
probation
areas)
with
a
clear
brief
to
’sell’
what
the
Service
has
to
offer
m
an
imagmative
and
forceful
way.
There
must
be
two
clear
aims
m
mmd :
firstly
the
public
needs
to
be
aware
of
how
versatile
and
responsive
the
Service
can
be
in
its
primary
task
of
reducing
the
prison
population -
given
adequate
resourcing.
Secondly,
additional
funding
will
only
be
forthcoming
if
sustained
pressure
can
be
brought
to
bear
upon
the
Government.
With
increased
public
goodwill
and
an
effective
promotional
campaign
using
every
appropriate
media
techmque
available,
the
prospects
for
growth
must
be
enhanced.
Pressure
groups
m
many
spheres
have
achieved
considerable
success
m
recent
times:
prospective
multi-million
motorways
have
been
scrapped
and
considerable
environmental
improvements
occurred
as
the
result
of vociferous
and
well-planned
campaigns
by
a
relatively
small
group
of people
The
Service
has
much
to
learn
from
this
approach.
Yours
sincerely,
MICHAEL
VARAH
Senior
Probation
Officer,
Warwick
Prison
Visits
Dear
Sir,
Here’s
some
food
for
thought
tor
ex-colleagues
(I
retired
from
the
Probation
Service
at
the
end
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