BLACK PROBATION OFFICER AND BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS

• NCJ Number: 16958
• Journal: PROBATION AND PAROLE Issue: 6 Dated: (FALL 1974) Pages: 30-38
• Author(s): A L BOURN
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: New York State
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF 20 BLACK PROBATION OFFICERS WORKING IN A JUVENILE COURT IN NEW YORK CITY, WHICH FOCUSED ON THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF AGENCY-CLIENT AND BLACK PROBATION OFFICER-CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS.

Abstract

QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES ARE PRESENTED FOR PROBATION OFFICERS AND WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE AGENCY ELEVEN YEARS OR MORE AND FOR THOSE WHO HAD WORKED TEN YEARS OR LESS. RESPONDENTS WERE QUESTIONED ON THE DEGREE OF AGENCY RACISM PERCEIVED, HOW WELL THE AGENCY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THOSE IT SERVES, HOW WELL IT WILL MEET FUTURE NEEDS, THE CAUSES OF INADEQUACIES IN THE PROBATION SYSTEM, THE DEGREE OF RESPONSIBILITY THEY FEEL TOWARDS BLACK CLIENTS, AND THE EFFECT OF THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF PROBATION TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. IN GENERAL, THE TEN YEAR OR LESS GROUP HAD MORE MILITANT VIEWS THAN THE MORE EXPERIENCED GROUP. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT BLACK PROBATION OFFICERS ARE DISSATISFIED WITH AND BECOMING MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBATION WITH RESPECT TO BLACK CLIENTS.