Probation Officers and Parole Supervision
| DOI | 10.1177/026455057602300405 |
| Published date | 01 December 1976 |
| Author | Robin Parker,Bryan Williams |
| Date | 01 December 1976 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
112
Finally,
I
briefly
mention
John
M.
and
his
common-law
wife
Dee.
It
shows
the
degree
of
disciplined
focus
and
structure
that
we
are
still
find-
ing
great
difficulty
in
assimilating.
John
appeared
in’ court
on
his
eighth
offence,
this
time
for
a
bizarre
theft
of
an
electric
typewriter.
He
was
drunk
at
the
time,
this
being
a
frequent
state
for
him
to
be
m.
Other
problems
included
lack
of
work,
debts,
sexual
difficulties
in
the
marriage,
and
each
doggedly
feeling
that
each
was
working
against
the
other.
After
a
number
of
exploratory
discussions,
we
all
agreed
that
the
tasks
during
the
probation
order
would
consist
of
sessions
looking
at
their
here
and
now
relationship
and
seeing
how
particular
incidents
lead
to
conflict.
From
this
we
would
all
look
for
more
satisfying
ways
they
could
them-
selves
resolve
these
conflicts.
So
far sessions
have
involved
re-run
role
plays-role
reversal-sculpting
and
communication
exercises.
We
all
agreed
on
six
sessions,
the
last
one
being
a
task
achievement
review
date.
However
recently
at
a
regular
two-monthly
case
review
with
the
whole
team,
it
was
forcibly
pointed
out
that
although
we
seemed
to
be
on
the
right
lines,
our
tasks
were
too
many
and
ill-defined.
There
is
nothing
really
tangible
that
John
and
Dee
can
aim
to
achieve
in
a
clear
precise
way
for
the
sixth
session
achievement
day.
We
need
to
go
back
to
the
family
and
try
and
work
out
something
more
specific.
I
mention
and
finish
with
this
case
as
it
is
an
up
to
date
experience
and
shows
the
difficulties
we
are
still
having,
learning
to
internalize
and
use
this
method.
Probation
Officers
and
Parole
Supervision
ROBIN
PARKER,
Hatfield
Polytechnic
BRYAN
WILLIAMS,
Dundee
University
DURING
1975
the
penal
policy
committee
of
NAPO
London
Branch
undertook
a
small
study
of. aspects
of
parole
work.
It
was
felt
that
although
parole
had
been
established
in
this
country
since
1968
and
there
was
now
a
growing
body
of
literature
on
the
subject,
nevertheless
there
appeared
to
have
been
little
attempt
to
consult
the
opinion
of
those
people
operating
the
parole
licences-i.e.
probation
officers-on
how
the
scheme
was
developing.
A
questionnaire
was
designed
with
the
aim
of
gaining
information
on
the
following
areas:
(a)
characteristics
of
parolees
(b)
the
part
played
by
home
circumstances
reports
in
the
overall
parole
decision-making
process
(c)
the
nature
of
probation
officers’
work
with
parolees,
and
their
feelings
about
it
The
questionnaire
was
sent
out
to
probation
officers
in
the
London
boroughs
of
Camden,
Lambeth
and
westminster.
Thirty-five
completed
the
forms,
basing
their
replies
on
work
with
77
parolees
(of
whom
six
were
female).
All
these
had
been
released
from
prison
during
1974.
The
original
aim
had
been
to
compare
the
details
of
those
prisoners
granted
parole
with
those
who
had
not
been
granted
parole
but
on
whom
home
circumstances
reports
(HCRs)
had
been
requested.
This
would
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