PROBATION AND PAROLE RECORDS CONSIDERED AS THERAPEUTIC TOOLS

• NCJ Number: 15859
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1974) Pages: 150-161
• Author(s): J ARCAYA
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

RECOMMENDS THAT A PROBATIONER AND HIS OFFICER BECOME COWORKERS IN EVALUATING HIS PROGRESS AS EXPRESSED IN HIS OFFICIAL FILE, THUS ENCOURAGING AN HONEST INTERACTION AND PROVIDING A STRUCTURE FOR ASSESSING IMPROVEMENT.

Abstract

RECORD INFORMATION IS DEEMED TO BE GENERALLY INADEQUATE AS A PRECISE AND MEANINGFUL TOOL FOR GAINING A REASONABLY ACCURATE PERSPECTIVE OF A PROBATIONER. ABBREVIATED, SIMPLISTIC STATEMENTS BY THE OFFICER ARE CONSIDERED USELESS. UPDATING A PROBATIONER'S DOSIER IS VIEWED AS A POTENTIALLY THERAPEUTIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE PROBATIONER IF HE IS ALLOWED TO SUPPLY INPUT AND CONVERSE WITH THE OFFICER ABOUT HIS PROGRESS. TRADITIONAL OBJECTIONS TO AN OPEN FILE ARE COUNTERED WITH THE ADVANTAGES TO BE GAINED BY HONESTY, OPENNESS, AND THE TEAMWORK APPROACH IN OFFICER-PROBATIONER EVALUATION ENDEAVORS. IT IS NOT SUGGESTED THAT SUCH AN APPROACH BE RIGIDLY FOLLOWED WITH EVERY CLIENT ON ALL OCCASIONS OF FILE UPDATING, BUT THAT IT BE SELECTIVELY EMPLOYED WITH CLIENTS WHO ARE OPEN TO SUCH AN APPROACH.