Maurice Vanstone

This fully revised and expanded edition provides an authoritative and original account of the history of probation. A steadfast and invaluable reference tool, this book offers new ways of reading probation history and presents an original context for thinking about current policy and practice. Based in part upon original documents and interviews with retired and serving officers, this second edition includes a substantially revised introduction and conclusion, minor revisions to original chapters, and two new chapters - Political pathways to privatised practice and beyond, and Probation practice in times of uncertainty. This predominantly UK-focussed study also provides a comparative perspective by exploring the history of probation in the USA and acknowledges the wider international story, whilst continuing to be the only history of probation practice that does justice to the mixture of influences on early probation services. This important volume will be of particular interest to criminologists, academics and students of criminal justice, social policy, social history and social work, and those with lived experience of probation services.

In this work Maurice Vanstone provides an authoritative and original account of the history of probation. This invaluable reference tool offers readers a new way of reading probation history and presents an original context for thinking about current policy and practice. While the study is essentially UK-focused, it also provides a comparative perspective by exploring the history of probation in the USA. The author’s research has produced the only history of probation practice that does justice to the mixture of influences on the early probation service and paves the way for today’s more evidence-based approach. The work is based in part upon original documents and interviews with retired and serving officers. Supervising Offenders in the Community will greatly interest criminologists and criminal justice, social policy, social history and social work academics and postgraduate students.

Short-term prisoners have exceptionally high reconviction rates, fuelled by major social problems. Growing recognition of this, and of deficiencies in prison-probation coordination, has accelerated 'resettlement' of ex-prisoners up the penal agenda. The 'Resettlement Pathfinders' tested several new partnership-based approaches. This report evaluates three probation-led projects which combined practical assistance with interventions to improve motivation and capacity to change. Their key feature was the delivery of a cognitive-motivational programme ('FOR - A Change') specially designed for short-termers. The study found this produced significant changes in attitude, as well as greater 'continuity' (voluntary post-release contact between offenders and project staff) than previous approaches. It also found evidence of association between continuity and reduced reconviction. Overall, the findings support resettlement strategies based on fostering and nurturing offenders' motivation to change, facilitating access to services, and 'through the gate' contact with staff or volunteers with whom a relationship has already been built. The research offers findings and insights of practical value to probation and prison officers, as well as staff of other agencies that work with prisoners and ex-prisoners. The report should also be read by penal policy-makers, criminology/criminal justice academics and students, and those engaged in staff training.

Drawing on the authors' experience of research and practice in probation, the book provides a positive and realistic view of the contribution the probation service can make to the criminal justice system. It covers court work, face-to-face work with offenders, wider work in the community, and probation organisation and management. It is informed both by research on 'what works' and by a commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.