Promoting Client Participation: A Study of Youth Probationers in Hong Kong

• NCJ Number: 202954
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 81-101
• Author(s): Francis Wing-Lin Lee
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the applicability of client participation in the supervision process with young probationers.

Abstract

The concept of client participation has surged to a position of prominence with social workers. Most agree that encouraging clients involvement in the helping process is valuable. Three issues have strongly influenced the development of the client participation concept. They are awareness of client participation rights, promotion of clients’ empowerment, and emphasis on consumerism. An exploratory study was conducted in Hong Kong’s probation service, which uses a social work approach to provide supervision and guidance to offenders for a specified period of time in order to achieve rehabilitation. Young offenders are usually perceived as immature, having low self-esteem, and lacking of coping ability and self-control. This leads to skepticism about the ability of them to participate in the helping process initiated by probation officers for their rehabilitation. Data for this study were collected through in-depth interviews with an interview schedule that included 15 probation officers, 7 male and 8 female, randomly selected from the 13 district offices in Hong Kong. The findings revealed that although they described it in different terms, probation officers had some basic understanding of the concept of client participation. Even though they attempted to promote the practice of client participation with their young probationers, they did not apply it systematically. Probation officers treated the conclusion of the probation as an important phase for assisting young probationers to reflect on their growth by helping them to consolidate their learning from the helping experience. Findings also showed that young probationers had vague knowledge of the concept of client participation. Policies should be pursued that cultivate probation officers’ faith in client participation and that develop strategies for its promotion in work with young probationers. 1 table, 2 notes, 28 references