Reviews : Adult Probation and Juvenile Supervision L.R. Singer Avebury, 1989; 164pp; £25.00 hbk
| Date | 01 September 1990 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059003700311 |
| Published date | 01 September 1990 |
| Author | Gwyneth Boswell |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
electronic tagging; different theoretical
the promising sub-title of this ~ublica-
approaches to privatisation. All topicaL
tion -
and as the old chestnut has
in this country.
been exercising Probation practitioners
Whilst some contributions are
since Fred Jarvis was a lad, even the
academic and politically neutral, others
most doggedly unacademic profes-
are clearly concerned with human
sional might be expected to experience
rights and moral issues. Howev~~ what
a faint rush of adrenalin to the veins.
is clear from all the contributors ~is that
But it is likely that both s/he and those
’privatisation’ is neither simple nor
of a more critically analytical persua-
easy to evaluate. There is less clarity
sion would be more tantalised than
between the three sectors: the state;
nourished by this volume.
voluntary (ie not-for-profit); and
Based on a Ph.l) thesis, it suggests
private (ie commercial). The difficulties
the substitution of the concepts Sup-
of bureaucracy in the State sector, the
port/Surveillance for those of
expense in the private sector, and the
Care/Control, presenting them as more
difficulty in monitoring effectiveness
easily distinguishable and therefore less
in the voluntary sector are well ex-
problematic. It’s doubtful that many
plored. The reason behind the drive to
would argue with that, though
privatise is not always clear. Cost-
whether you call it ’G/C’ or ’S/S’ seems
effectiveness and competition may
less important than the awareness that
perhaps be rationales for a big increase
Probation professionals operate con-
in central control and direction.
stantly along a continuum which
However, another contributor shows
merges somewhere in the middle
how the ad hoc and rapid growth of
and that they need to be able to define
state funding in...
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