© British Association of Social Workers
A Non-punitive Paradigm of Probation Practice: Some Sobering Thoughts
Lawrence Singer is an Assistant Chief Probation Officer with Merseyside Probation Service. Beforehand he worked as a probation officer for Berkshire Probation Service and later as a research officer for Somerset Probation Service where he undertook the research reported here. The paradigm which is described originates from doctoral research into generic probation practice and has been presented in a book Adult Probation and Juvenile Supervision: Beyond the Care-Control Dilemma (1989, Gower).
Dr L. R. Singer, Assistant Chief Probation Officier, Merseyside Probation Service, Rainford Hall, Crank Road, Crank, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 7RP.
Summary
The Government White Paper Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public proposes a radical change for probation practice. Henceforth probation work will no longer be an alternative to punishment but an alternative form of punishment. This article challenges the conceptual and practical appropriateness of applying the notion of punishment to the probation context. Probation officers, it is argued, are concerned with establishing rules for probationers and not inflicting pain on them. An alternative non-punitive paradigm of probation practice is described. The paradigm is based on the joint supervisory aims of support and surveillance which are implemented through the methods of counselling, assisting, directing, and monitoring. To illustrate the paradigm, reference is made to an alcohol education course developed for offenders in trouble through drink. The efficacy of the alcohol project and the non-punitive paradigm is demonstrated by the results reported from a three year evaluation study covering 152 offenders. The article concludes with an affirmation of the disciplined but non-punitive character of current probation work and argues that, to successfully protect the public and reintegrate offenders into the community, the probation officer's employment of established social work knowledge, skills, and values is a strength not a weakness.
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