I think I've just passed a milestone - the first month of blogging, so possibly a moment to reflect might be appropriate. As I write this, my page view rate is enjoying yet another massive boost due to some further very supportive words from Bystander of Magistrates Blog fame. I'm enormously grateful for such encouragement so early in my blogging career and I've really appreciated all the comments from magistrates. Due to the amazing power of the internet, I seem to have picked up some regular readers from all over the planet, including some colleagues, most noticeably from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Again, I really appreciate the mention on the NAPO website as one of my aims is to try and stimulate a bit of discussion. Hopefully NAPO can soon sort out their forum pages as this is a much-missed resource.
To a great degree the Probation Service is a secret service. In my experience public misunderstanding is quite widespread, even amongst the chattering classes. It's always been a great mystery to me why there has never been a successful tv drama series. There are some brilliant story lines, all human life is there somewhere, but the only effort in recent memory was 'Hard Cases' set in Nottingham way back in the 1980's. If I remember correctly there was only one series, possibly eight episodes in total. The SPO wore a tweed jacket with elbow patches and at least one PO drove a Morris Traveller. Even so I thought it was pretty good, but it obviously didn't inspire the public sufficiently. Maybe not enough sex, violence, pathos or comedy perhaps? Well there is on my caseload.
Going back even further, I believe there was a black and white series imaginatively called 'Probation Officer' with a PO in trilby and trenchcoat. I've seen at least one episode and it was similar to Dixon of Dock Green, but then I can remember that's what passed as good Saturday night tv in those days and it did recruit people. So, why have all other parts of the criminal justice system had the tv treatment, but not us? They've covered CPS, Courts, Judges, Customs and Excise, Lawyers, Prison, MI5 and Police endlessly but probation is nowhere to be seen. For me this isn't just an issue of idle curiosity for discussion in the pub, it's much more fundamental because it means there is a huge gaping void in public knowledge about something quite important. But it's even worse than that as this level of ignorance sadly often includes our elected representatives, some of whom form governments, develop policy and ultimately legislate.
I remain convinced that one reason the Probation Service has 'been done over' in recent years is because of this almost universal ignorance, which regrettably includes my own constituency MP. Both he and his adolescent researcher just glaze over when I try and get them up to speed. Now if only there was a half decent tv series...
"But it's even worse than that as this level of ignorance sadly often includes our elected representatives, some of whom form governments, develop policy and ultimately legislate."
ReplyDeleteWhat else do you expect? The modern politician goes to university, advises politicians then gets elected to parliament and as soon as he knows his way to the canteen, sorry restaurant, gets himself elected party leader. If his daddy knows the right people he might get paid for being called a PR director for a year or two on his way up.
Knows nothing of real life so why should he know anything about the criminal justice system, let alone the specialised branches such as probation.
I do recall many years ago watching a "Fly on the wall" documentary about the probation service. In terms of fictional caricaturisation, it would probably be easy to write into soaps or a police series.
ReplyDeleteAged northern SPO says: It was "Probation Officer", with Windsor Davies as PO Bill Morgan in the lead role. I have a scan of a TV Times from 1962 featuring the series on the cover (!)and also the listing (for Monday 16 July), with Mr Morgan ably supported by one Judith Geeson. Happy to share if anyone wants a chuckle.
ReplyDeleteFound you via Magistrates Blog. But gone right off you already for not thinking Coogan's The Parole Office is a serious piece of filming...
ReplyDeleteAged northern SPO - thanks for that - I never realised it was Windsor Davies - the cover of TV Times sounds good, possibly you could e-mail it to me jimbrown51@virginmedia.com Cheers.
ReplyDeleteAndy W - on the contrary the opening scene was all too recognisable as were some other very good one liners. It's on my video shelf!