Week 7 RF-Theories in Probation

Question 1

What is the History of Probation?

Answer 1

-Started in late 19th, early 20th century. (voluntary with religious groups outside of prison to look after prisoners

-Developed between 1930’s and 1970’s. (became a mandatory part of the criminal system in 70s mainly people who were given community services)

-Changed again in the 1990’s. (more a befriending service, worked to an extent for people who wanted to change pro-socially, stringent legislation on sentencing brought an indeterminate public protection order aka a life sentence e.g., 3 years custody but once out on license forever but argument to get revoked as sentence was longer than needed)

-Current day (massive push on foreign nationals i.e., if foreign citizens commit a crime they aim to deport them

Question 2

What is Lola’s Case Study?

Answer 2

-21-year-old female

-Child sexual exploitation survivor

-Street worker i.e., prostitute and uses heroin

-Substance misuse and did petty theft

-Had unstable upbringing with abuse

-Women’s centre, outreach team, trauma counselling after exploitation for her support

-Lola was willing to change (i.e., desistance)

Question 3

What’s Desistance? (McNeill, 2006)

Answer 3

-Desistance is the word for how people with a previous pattern of offending come to abstain from crime. Desistance is a journey. It is influenced by someone’s circumstances, the way they think, and what is important to them (www.gov.uk, 2019)

-Used as a foundation in probation for working with all offenders.

-Criminogenic need

-Different types of resistance (e.g., primary and secondary)

-Primary not committing crimes because pre-occupied with activities

-Secondary is 6 months of no offending where there is an effort to now offend

Question 4

What was Poppy’s Case Study?

Answer 4

-64-year-old female

-Murdered her sister-in-law

-Served 20 years and was on a life license

-Substance misuse of prescription meds and mental health problems (bipolar or emotionally unstable PD)