NCJ Number
50728
Journal
PROBATION OFFICER Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 33-49
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF PROBATION ON YOUTHS' ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE, COURTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, AND PROBATION ITSELF ARE EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 41 FIRST-TIME JUVENILE PROBATIONERS IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.
Abstract
THE STUDY SUBJECTS WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDES SHORTLY AFTER BEGINNING PROBATION AND AGAIN SEVERAL MONTHS LATER. THE YOUTHS FELT STRONGLY THAT THEY HAD BEEN TREATED JUSTLY BY THE COURT. SOME EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT BY POLICE, MORE SO IN THE SECOND INTERVIEW THAN IN THE FIRST. IN BOTH INTERVIEWS, APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT OF THE YOUTHS SAID THEY FELT THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD OBEY THE LAW AND BE PUNISHED FOR DISOBEYING LAW. APPROXIMATELY 50 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS FELT THAT PROBATION WAS A PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING THE LAW; THIS DROPPED TO 34 PERCENT AT THE SECOND INTERVIEW. INITIALLY 70 PERCENT PREFERRED PROBATION TO OTHER SANCTIONS (WARNINGS, FINES, SENTENCES TO AN INSTITUTION), BUT ON THE SECOND INTERVIEW THIS FIGURE FELL TO 50 PERCENT, WITH AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 20 PERCENT IN THE NUMBER PREFERRING TO PAY A FINE. IN THE SECOND INTERVIEW, THERE WAS A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PROBATIONERS WHO FELT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PARENTS WAS GOOD. FRIENDSHIP PATTERNS CHANGED LITTLE OVER THE SURVEY PERIOD. WITH REGARD TO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROBATION OFFICER, THE YOUTHS BASICALLY SEEMED GLAD TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO. HOWEVER, RESPONSES INDICATE THAT SOME PROBATION OFFICERS MAY BE ATTEMPTING TO PROJECT THEIR OWN VALUES ONTO THE YOUTHS, AND THAT THERE MAY BE A TENDENCY FOR PROBATION OFFICERS AND PROBATIONERS TO RELATE ONLY SUPERFICALLY. INITIALLY ONLY 27 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS FELT THEY WERE 'BASICALLY GOOD' PEOPLE, INCREASING TO 41 PERCENT AT THE SECOND INTERVIEW. PROBATIONERS ATTENDING SCHOOL WERE MORE LIKELY THAN PROBATIONERS WHO WERE WORKING TO FEEL THEY WERE BEING 'PICKED ON' BY AUTHORITIES (TEACHERS, EMPLOYERS); MORE SCHOOL ATTENDERS THAN WORKERS WOULD LEAVE SCHOOL/JOB IF THEY COULD. THE ANALYSIS INCLUDES ADDITIONAL COMPARISONS BETWEEN WORKING PROBATIONERS AND STUDENTS, AS WELL AS COMPARISONS BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE PROBATION OFFICERS, AND VOLUNTEER AND PAID OFFICERS. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFIC TO THE MELBOURNE PROBATION SYSTEM ARE OFFERED. THE RESEARCH IS SEEN TO RAISE QUESTIONS RATHER THAN PROVIDE MANY ANSWERS. COMPARISONS ARE DRAWN WITH CONCLUSIONS OF STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES. SAMPLE COMMENTS BY PROBATIONERS ARE CITED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. NO SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)