Problem of Profession and Delivery Justice (From American Correctional Association - Proceedings, P 161-171, 1981, Barbara Hadley Olsson and Ann Dargis, ed. - See NCJ-76771)

• NCJ Number: 76788
• Author(s): D Fogel
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 6 pages
• Sale Source: American Correctional Association
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Presented at the 110th Congress of Correction of the American Correctional Association, this paper discusses two major orientations for probation departments and suggests a third model for delivering probation services, one which assumes a pursuit-of-justice orientation.

Abstract

Most probation agencies follow one of two basic approaches to the provision of services, based on the orientation of the individual program administrator. Some programs focus on providing rehabilitative services to offenders in efforts to ensure that they will no longer commit crimes. Other programs follow a public security approach in which the probation officer's primary responsibility is supervising and tracking ex-offenders to ensure that they commit no criminal acts while on probation. A third approach is based on a different philosophy: the pursuit of justice. Under this approach, the rights of victims and the general public are balanced against the rights of offenders. Probation departments actively provide victim assistance as well as rehabilitative services to offenders. The pursuit-of-justice approach deemphasizes the current focus on offender-client technology, such as risk analysis. At a time when the public generally perceives probation negatively as being an offender-oriented service, probation departments can develop a positive image as protectors of public safety through adoption of the pursuit-of-justice approach. Footnotes are included.