The Future of the Probation and After-Care Service
| DOI | 10.1177/026455056901500202 |
| Date | 01 June 1969 |
| Author | Gordon Jones |
| Published date | 01 June 1969 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
44
family
relationships,
and
lack
of
life
experience.
Treatment
is
primarily
the
responsibility
of
hospital
psychiatrists,
but
social
workers
are
indispensable.
It
considers
the
size
of
the
problem
and
touches
on
present
treatment
methods
involving
maintenance
doses
at
authorised
centres
and
persuasion
to
obtain
in-patient
treatment.
It
argues
that
out-patient
clinics
should
be
the
focal
point
of
rehabilitation
and
be
given
adequate
medical,
social
worker
and
clerical
staffing.
The
report
recommends
that
two
hostels
should
be
established
to
provide
for
homeless
addicts
attending
an
out-patient
clinic,
and
also
recom-
mends
special
hostels,
initially
in
the
’metropolitan
area,
for
addicts
who
have
completed
treatment.
Specially
important
for
the
probation
service
are
paragraphs
42
to
49:
the
addict
in
court,
on
probation
and
in
prison.
Courts
are
encouraged
to
make
full
enquiries
before
sentencing.
We
are
reminded
of
the
implications
of
Sec.
4
of
the
C.J.A.
1948
and
of
our
privileged
relationship
with
client
and
family
which
puts
us
in
a
strong
position
to
assist
here.
Prison
welfare
officers’
are
urged
to
make
appropriate
discharge
plans
for
addicts
leaving
prison.
Section
IV
deals
more
briefly
with
amphetamine
dependants.
Here,
lack
of
information
emphasises
the
need
for
research.
Section
V
on
the
co-ordination
of
services
is
very
important,
for
the
constant
theme
of
the
report
is
the
need
for
a
multi-disiplinary
approach
to
rehabilitation.
The
report
is
an
imaginative
and
comprehensive
attempt
to
meet
a
complex
situation
and
the
modest recommendations
are
worthy
of
serious
consideration.
THE
FUTURE
OF
THE
PROBATION
AND
AFTER-CARE
SERVICE*
Gordon
Jones
Principal
Probation
Officer,
somersm
IN
ANY
ATTEMPT
to
discuss
the
future
the
question
that
has
first
to
be
asked
is,
&dquo;Why
are
we
currently
preoccupied
with
our
future?&dquo;
There
is
the
feeling
that
we
are
being
pushed
into
undergoing
change
simply
as
a
consequence
of
the
Seebohm
Report
and
the
Children
and
Young
Persons
Bill.
Extensive
change
is
already
occurring
in
Scotland,
and
the
Maud
and
Beeching
reports
will
~have
to
be
considered.
In
the
present
climate
of
change
it
would
be
surprising
if
we
did
not
feel
obliged
to
contemplate
radical
change
for
ourselves
and
in
so
doing,
to
be
at
risk
of
appearing
to
debate
from
reactionary
positions
and
to
produce
proposals
of
an
ill-considered
and
hastily-formed
kind.
This
is
no
basis
for
formulating
ideas
about
the
future.
Instead,
let
us
ask
another
question.
&dquo;Is
change
for
the
probation
and
after-care
service
desirable
to
enable
it
to
enlarge
and
carry
out
its
functions,
to
provide
circumstances
for
growth,
and
to
create
a wiable
service
with
long-life
expectations?&dquo;
The
answer
to
that
question
in
my
view
is
that
change
is
desirable
and
so
we
should
now
be
looking
to
the
future.
Suggesting
proposals
for
future
organisation
and
administration
even
on
the
basis
of
desirable
change
is,
however,
made
difficult
at
the
present
time
for
a
number
of
reasons.
*
From
an
address
delivered
at
NAPO
Conference
1969.
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