Reviews : Punishment Under Pressure: The Probation Service in the Inner City Bob Broad Jessica King, 1991; pp. 238; £25 hbk
| Author | Peter J. Simpson |
| Published date | 01 September 1991 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059103800312 |
| Date | 01 September 1991 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
bizarre, from SMASH (Sudden Mass
contribution to the ’nothing works’
Assault Syndrome with Homicide) to
literature.
demonic possession, is more appetiser
After comprehensively demo-
than the full five courses -
no space
lishing the ’Punishment in the Com-
for klismaphilia (sexual gratification by
munity’ trend in Probation, via
having an enema) - but this weave of
literature review and personal tirade, he
anthropology, literature, psycho-
examines in detail the work of the Brix-
analytic insight and clinical psychiatry
ton community probation team from
is far more useful than simply a
1982-1985, through written records,
prurient glimpse into Professor Prins’
statistical analysis, extensive observa-
House of Horrors or
tion, and client interviews. He finds a
a handy text 16
readiness for when
team
overworked by the creation of its
you find a Dennis
Nilsen
own workload,
or Michael Ryan on
guided by its own
your
caseload. This excursion into the
’mini-policies’, unclear of its aims,
ex-
unintegrated with other teams, unsup-
tremes of morbidity in human nature
reminds
ported by an ambivalent management,
us that these are extensions of
and not even achieving its own (im-
universal darker forces, distinguished
plicit) aims; or adapting its own prac-
only by intensity and severity from the
tice in key areas (individual work and
phantasies, instincts, jealousies and
SIRs). In short the epitome of the ’Cap-
limits of self control within us all.
tainless crew sailing under the Jolly
One comforting note of caution
Roger’ predicted by Pinker in his
from the author for the ambitious
minority report in Barclay.
diagnostician: ’it is highly unlikely,
If readers find this descriptive of
even within a well established
the Probation Service generally during
therapeutic relationship, that a patient
the same period, then the Home Of-
or offender will readily divulge infor-
fice’s justification for imposing clear
mation concerning vampiristic or
objectives and...
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