Mair & May - Probation Flashcards
What are the advantages of probation?
It is far cheaper than prison, it does not expose the offender to the criminalising influences of prison and it does not hinder their ability to earn a living and care for their family
What are the psychological mechanisms behind probation?
According to the principles of operant conditioning, being on probation should produce the reward or positive reinforcement of being able to have some freedom and the negative reinforcement being the threat of the removal of Liberty
What are the two purposes of a probation order?
To keep offenders under surveillance and to provide offenders with help/support
What did Roshier find in his two year study in Cleveland about recidivism rates?
He found that 64% of imprisoned offenders reoffended within 2 years, compared to 41% of offenders sentenced to probation
What are some of the disadvantages of probation?
It requires specialised training, it may be seen as a soft sentence and the offender may commit other crimes while they are on probation
What was the aim of Mair & May’s study?
To investigate the experiences of offenders on probation orders in a cross-section of probation offices in England and Wales
What method did Mair & May use?
A survey using a questionnaire
What was done with the questionnaire before it was given to the sample?
It was piloted initially with 7 probation offices and 42 offenders and then improved
What was the sample in Mair & May’s study?
3299 offenders that were selected randomly from 22 probation offices
What percentage of the sample failed to take part and why?
40% because they failed to turn up to their appointments in the London area
How was data collected?
Face to face, so the questionnaires formed the basis of highly structured interviews which were conducted by independently employed researchers
What sort of questions were asked and what type of data did they collect?
The questions were either multiple choice or had likert scale responses which collected quantitative data
What percentage of the sample felt that probation was extremely useful?
88%
What percentage of offenders felt that probation would stop them from reoffending altogether?
37%
What sort of topics did the offenders discuss with the probation officers?
Problems with accommodation, problems with money, employment issues and drug and alcohol problems
