The role of the specialist mental health probation officer
| Author | Yvonne Morick,Katharina Heitz |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20662203221146735 |
| Published date | 01 December 2022 |
| Date | 01 December 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Original Articles |
Original Article
European Journal of Probation
2022, Vol. 14(3) 240–251
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/20662203221146735
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The role of the specialist mental
health probation officer
Yvonne Morickand Katharina Heitz
Bew¨
ahrungs- und Gerichtshilfe Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Abstract
Individuals on probation have a high prevalence of health problems when compared to the
general population. For them it is often difficult to access health treatment. Thus, im-
provement of mental health and access to mental health services could increasingly
become a role of the probation officer. In Europe, there is less data about the use of
specialty mental health probation (SMHP) than in the United States (US). In a survey for
the Council of Europe, Brooker and Monteira (2021) summarized the practices of
probation services and prisons among European countries. The authors alluded to useful
initiatives in German states. One example is Baden-Wurttemberg, where some probation
officers are trained to be mental health specialists (Brooker and Monteira 2021: 16). The
main difference between the SMHP model in the US and the model in Baden-
Wurttemberg is that the specialist in mental health in Baden-Wurttemberg does not
necessarily care exclusively for individuals with mental illnesses, but rather serves as a
source of expert knowledge to colleagues and assists with case consultations. Thus, the
probation officer does not focus exclusively on one topic (mental health) and can take a
holistic view of each individual case.
Keywords
Germany, mental health, probation service, risk-resource-inventory, specialist
Background
In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the prevalence of mental illness
amongst prisoners is steadily rising. In prisons, individuals are in an enclosed system.
Psychiatric care is available in prison, but is not always easy to access. Moreover, prisons
Corresponding author:
Katharina Heitz, Head of the Department of Social Work in Probation and Judicial, Bew¨
ahrungs- und
Gerichtshilfe Baden-Württemberg, Rosenbergstraße 122, Stuttgart 70193, Germany.
Email: katharina.heitz@bgbw.bwl.de
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