Reviews : Staff Supervision in the Probation Service Michael Davies Gower, 1988. £25 hbk
| Date | 01 March 1989 |
| Author | P.J. Borland |
| Published date | 01 March 1989 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058903600110 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
be avoided. In advocating a whole per-
pervision as a particular problem. If it
son, whole system perspective, the im-
does not have an agreed framework, su-
portance of placing clients in their so-
pervision can actually create stress
cial and cultural context is made para-
rather than alleviate it. If there is no
mount. This view seems especially re-
possibility of reviewing the process,
levant in the light of repeated surveys
staff are left feeling boxed in, unable to
showing the disproportionate number
negotiate anything different from what
of black people in prison and psychiat-
is on offer. The Service seems unable to
ric hospitals.
deal constructively with this inevitable
Having been on both psychiatric
conflict between the probation officer
and probation placements in the last
and the Senior.
year, I found this book clarified my
own
The higher management of the
thoughts and feeling on many of the
Probation Service time and agam
issues that are shared by the two disci-
fudges the issue of the team leader who
plines. It did this in a lively, readable
is intellectually and emotionally unable
and thought provoking way, which as
to offer professional supervision. Prob-
well as equipping me with an under-
ation officers in this study expressed
standing of the essentials, helped my
anxiety about the reduced importance
direct practice with clients.
attached to casework supervision,
especially in high risk cases. ’Who is
David Miners
going to help me develop my practice?’
Probation Trainee, Bristol
was
one
comment.
The unevenness of supervision
Staff Supervision in
the
practice is evident. Davies describes
Probation
Service
the different perceptions of manage-
Michael Davies
ment and main grade staff and tamely
Gower, 1988. £25 hbk
invites us to speculate on the reasons
behind this. There is an inherent ten-
This piece of research is timely. A 90%
sion between management objectives
response rate to Davies’ enquiries
and the experience of staff...
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