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Probation Service Christian Fellowship. (PSCF) Christian Care and Concern in the Criminal Justice Services |
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Probation Service Christian Fellowship. (PSCF) Christian Care and Concern in the Criminal Justice Services |
1) What is your role as a Probation Officer? Are there particular specialisms?
2) What is the deciding factor between a
custodial sentence and a community sentence?
3)
Which crimes are taken the most seriously apart from murder or crimes of a
sexual nature?
8)
What is the role of the Membership Secretary of the PSCF?
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1) What is your role as a Probation Officer? Are there particular specialisms?
2) What is the deciding factor between a
custodial sentence and a community sentence?
A:
Although government policy is that custody should be reserved
for the most serious offenders in order to protect the public from harm, there
are many less serious offenders in our prisons. This is as a result of many
factors: sometimes offenders have persistently failed to comply with community
sentences and the Courts find themselves without viable alternatives; sometimes
offenders have committed high-value offences (such as fraud or theft from
employer) in breach of trust and the Court considers such offences “so
serious” that custody is justified, even though the offender does not
represent a risk of harm. Persistent, non-violent offenders, both young and old
find themselves remanded in custody if they have failed to attend Court, or if
they continue to commit offences whilst on bail. Those remanded in custody are
held in local prisons, which often do have quite stringent regimes, as they hold
all categories of offenders. However young offenders (i.e. those under 21)
should usually be held separately from older prisoners. It is a concern that
many people who have been held in custody on remand are either acquitted or are
given community sentences: the cost to the taxpayer is huge and the social cost
to the individual can be enormous: many lose their homes and jobs and family
relationships can be severely strained.
3)
Which crimes are taken the most seriously apart from murder or crimes of a
sexual nature?
A:
You have highlighted two of the most serious types of
offence. Other offences of violence are also taken most seriously, as are
offences in which children are the victims. Sentencers refer to sentencing
guidelines, which reflect offence seriousness. For example an offence of
burglary will be considered more serious and thus attract a more severe penalty
if a dwelling is involved, if the occupiers were present and if damage was
caused.
4)
How do the members view the way in which sex offenders are often treated both by
society and by their fellow offenders (of crimes other than sexual) and the work
of such organisations as Circles of Support? Do they see Circles as a useful and helpful way of dealing
with the offenders rather than just the general knee-jerk public reaction?
A:
One driving factor for people working with offenders is
belief that people can change. This must include sex offenders. These
individuals are often the target of abuse from certain sectors of the press and
can also be the objects of hatred and attack from other prisoners. Most sex
offenders are released into the community and it is one of our tasks to assist
them to resettle into the community. However we also have to ensure that the
public is protected from further similar offending. Thus schemes such as
“Circles of Support” have huge benefit, as do Sex Offender Treatment
programmes. There are also hostels which will take such offenders; some of
these, such as one run by Stepping Stones Trust are run by Christians and help
residents find suitable employment.
A:
I think you have mis-read the statistics: it is 90% of the
offenders who are male, not the staff. I don’t actually have the data for
male/ female staff, but experience suggests that most are female. I am sure that
most of us would consider ourselves capable of dealing with all offender groups,
however challenging their behaviour might be: cases are not allocated according
to the gender of the member of staff.
A:
At first sight it could appear that the current objectives of
“enforcement, rehabilitation and public protection” might not be such a neat
fit with a Christian perspective. However the Probation Service probably was a
little too woolly at the time when I joined in the 70s, when we would accept
almost any explanation for an absence. It has been said that it is not possible
to do any effective work unless an offender actually attends his or her
appointments, so we have to ensure that they attend. The rehabilitation aspect
is what most of us came into the job to do: that is to assist individuals to
make the changes that are necessary to live a useful life in the community; this
could be by helping them address their substance abuse problems, or by
undertaking an anger control programme; we might even offer them advice
sometimes! The objective of public protection is about reducing the risk of
further offending, something which has always been a main part of what we do. So
in effect we do still advise and assist and one effective way of doing this is
by developing a constructive relationship with offenders: we probably wouldn’t
call this befriending now, but maybe things haven’t really changed that much.
A:
When I became a Probation Officer, I saw this as
Christian service, trying to help one of the most vulnerable and marginalised
groups in our society. However I am a public servant, not an evangelist or
chaplain. If an offender asked me how he or she could find out more about the
Christian faith, then I would do my best to link that person with a suitable
fellowship or pastor. I also support and endorse the work of the prison
chaplains, Prison Fellowship and Alpha in Prisons and other Christian groups
working with offenders.
8)
What is the role of the Membership Secretary of the PSCF?
A:
The Membership Secretary keeps in touch with our members, offering them
encouragement and support in their work. He has recently helped set up a network
of Christian Trainee Probation Officers, which I believe they have found
helpful. He also encourages enquirers to become members and to get more involved
with the Fellowship.
A:
Working with offenders can be very demanding. I have often
been aware of complex situations with no easy solutions. Committing such
situations to God in prayer does help and I feel privileged that I have this
additional resource available to me. Some years ago our fellowship urged its
members to pray for the Fellowship and its aims on Monday mornings. This is
something we need to consider adopting again.