I'm a probation officer ama

[Billyboo1]

As above

Can you tell on your first meeting whether someone will reoffend or not?
What sort of offenders do you deal with
How many do you have on the go at one time?

What do you think about the CRCs having their contracts ended 2 years early?

You cant tell fully, You need to get to know someone. However they arrive with a pretty robust assessment and most people wanr to change.

I feel with all offenders. Every crime. Every sentence

Deal not feel 🤔

Crcs are meant to have 45 approx on caseload. They usually work to very much more

Is early release a bad idea?

People are assessed for early release and it's not always approved. There are stringent measures to monitor them in the community whilst allowing rehabilitation work to take place. Rather than being in prison with over subscribed resources. Recall provisions will be activated if there is any risk of harm or reoffending. But the positivity is that it facilitates access to support and vital rehabilitation. Often the conditions of early release are very very demanding

There has been a huge advertisement for training for probation office. I'm very interested. What drew you to the job and is it suitable for a young family? Or best to wait till kids are older

Is your approach quite stern or more gently does it? Do you find some of the younger offenders have an attitude?

What qualifications did you need?

I have a young family and it works well. I won't deny thst sometimes you take things home but the staff you work with are excellent at sounding off with you and it never gets thst bad. It's rewarding grounding and very interesting. In my own opinion its an admiral and worthwhile job.

Did they ever manage to implement the single sentence plan for all offenders with joined up IT, or do they just start again every time someone moves prison or area?

You need a degree in a related field. Law criminology or psychology but I can't confirm exactly and I'm sure others will be considered if you call them and discuss.

Age doesn't necessary correlate with attitude. Every one is very much an individual and has their own issues and journey.

I have been stern. I often am. But in general non judgemental and understanding gets you far in my opinion. Barriers and respect on both parties are paramount

Once upon a time. Could you clarify please. Do you mean when people move around lots

Yep, if they move about.... bit of a random question!

Thanks billyboo i have read up a lot about it and sounds like a very rewarding job.

I would go for it. If its not for you you can leave but you will learn so many skills and if you want to work with people and protect your community there is nothing better

If they move about a lot it does come with obvious problems however stringent record keeping and sharing of information from multi agencies manages thst

Some of the horrific crimes you see on the news, I’m thinking recently the acid attack on a three year old, the rape and murder of a six year old. Could you honestly say that rehabilitating offenders who have the evil in them to commit such offences, is a good use of the public purse? Particularly in times of austerity.
I imagine for crimes such as these, they will need new identities on release, and close lifelong monitoring.
That’s before the moral argument, if one of my babies was hurt in this way, I don’t think I would agree the offender deserved a second chance at all.

Overall I think rehabilitation is a good thing for most offenders btw, but some crimes are so evil I just debate whether there’s any coming back from it, and why do these people deserve the money spent on them, and the opportunity/second chance to have a nice life, when they have wilfully ended or destroyed someone else’s life and opportunities.

If someone commits a crime that is so terrible the paramount action is to make sure they never do it again. To look at the factors that caused that behaviour and to address and reduce them. Absolutely at the forefront is to protect the community and reduce the risk but punishment is important too. Probation make every attempt to reduce and manage identified risks within the community and in my opinion they try very very hard to do this and do this well.

I appreciate that it would be beneficial for many offenders and wider society to rehabilitate people who have committed crimes and helping them become useful, productive members of the local community. particularly when they probably have had so few life chances, and this may help prevent them becoming revolving door prisoners. Commendable work indeed.

For the worst most evil crimes however, regardless of the skill of the probation officer, I think it is somewhat a waste of money to try and rehabilitate them.
If you can wilfully pour acid on a three year old, rape a little girl and stop a child’s heart beating and watch them breathe their last, I think Throwing the key away is the only appropriate option.
I’m not sure such a monster deserves life’s simple pleasures of the sunshine on your face, taking a walk when you choose or pursuing a hobby that you enjoy. However well their risks are managed or however unlikely it may be that they will reoffend.

I appreciate everyone’s views are different however, and my rigid views on the how the most violent offenders should be treat may well be in the minority.

Are you NPS or CRC?
How long have you been qualified?
How big are caseloads?
What interventions are popular at the moment?
Has supervision for under 12 month custody helped reduce the revolving door?

It's not about what they deserve, it's what is needed to make it never happen again

Thanks @Billyboo1
How many of your caseload is female and have you and your colleagues had any training or information about gender non confirming clients. Would you have to recommend a client goes to a female prison in pre sentence reports if they Self ID as female but were born male? Is this something even discussed amongst your colleagues?