NCJ Number
52808
Journal
Howard Journal of Penology and Crime Prevention Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 149-159
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE VIEWS OF CLIENTS AND SUPERVISORS INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY SUPERVISION ORDERS--A DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVE FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN ENGLAND--ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
SUPERVISION ORDERS WERE INTRODUCED AS A LESS COERCIVE, MORE TREATMENT-ORIENTED ALTERNATIVE TO PROBATION ORDERS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS, THE IDEA BEING TO INVOLVE THE JUVENILE'S ENTIRE FAMILY IN TREATMENT RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON CONTROL OF THE OFFENDER. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 21 CHILDREN, 22 SETS OF PARENTS, AND 8 SUPERVISORS TO DETERMINE THEIR VIEWS OF THE SUPERVISION ORDERS IN WHICH THEY WERE INVOLVED. SUPERVISORS USED THE THREAT OF REMOVAL FROM HOME AS THEIR MAIN WEAPON FOR AFFECTING THEIR YOUNG CLIENTS' BEHAVIOR. HOWEVER, THE SUPERVISORS KNEW THAT APPLICATION OF THIS SANCTION WAS UNLIKELY AND WERE AWARE THAT THE WIDESPREAD FAILURE OF SUPERVISION ORDERS WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR STANDING IN COURT. THEREFORE, THE SUPERVISORS TRIED TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS OF TRUST WITH THEIR CLIENTS OVER AND ABOVE THE ROUTINE OF CONTROL. THIS PROVED DIFFICULT. THE SUPERVISORS THEN ATTEMPTED TO USE PARENTAL COOPERATION TO CREATE A SORT OF INFORMAL CONTROL. BUT THE PARENTS REGARDED THE SUPERVISORS PRIMARILY AS AUTHORITY FIGURES, AND SUCH COOPERATION WAS NOT TO BE FOUND. MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS VIEWED SUPERVISION ORDERS POSITIVELY, BUT SOME SAW THE ORDERS PRIMARILY AS A SYMBOLIC THREAT. ALTHOUGH THE RELATIONSHIP THAT DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE SUPERVISOR AND THE CHILD USUALLY WAS DESCRIBED AS FRIENDLY, IT WAS ALSO SEEN AS SECONDARY TO A MORE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF THE SUPERVISION ORDER: THE ROUTINE OF REPORTING. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST CERTAIN LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OF INTRODUCING FORMAL SANCTIONS FOR BREACH OF SUPERVISION ORDERS. HOWEVER, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SUPERVISION SHOULD BE REPRESENTED AS PRIMARILY A CONTROL OR A TREATMENT DEVICE REMAINS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)