Death on Probation

At some point in every probation officers career one of the clients you are supervising will die. It goes without saying that the more service you've put in, the more instances there will be. It's always a shock and upsetting, not least because we're not usually talking about quietly of natural causes in their own bed here. I haven't had an instance in recent times, but I understand there's a process now, with a form to fill in and the offer of counselling. I think that is definitely an improvement because all the deaths affected me enormously to the point I have never felt able to release the files for shredding - I simply can't or don't want to let go and they remain hidden in a filing cabinet down in the basement. I'm sure a psychologist would understand completely.

By it's very nature of building a relationship with a client, there is always a balance, a fine line between over-identification and professional detachment. In the role of probation officer we are 'messing' with peoples lives and although under the social work model we would always clearly strive to help achieve improvements, sadly and inevitably in some cases it is not possible and tragedy results. In each instance, in addition to feelings of sorrow and loss there will often be an  intense period of self analysis as to the handling of the case. Signs that were missed, more that could have been done, a judgement made that proved to be wrong. There are still some cases that I cannot recall to this day without shedding a tear. 

I can still remember vividly the young PC from the Coroners Office taking my statement and asking the deceptively simple, but heavily-loaded question 'Why did you let him collect the tin of thinners?'  It so succinctly summed up our very differing viewpoints of the world. That PC would possibly never be able to understand that in reality by the time that young client had reached probation, he had been so failed by society that in spite of all our endless efforts on his behalf, he was sadly doomed and set on a course of ultimate self-destruction. I recall taking a deep breath and giving a very long answer that I suppose could be summed up as 'because in the end we all have freewill to act recklessly.' 

In our work with offenders we are often dealing with some of the most damaged individuals in society. They have invariably been victims themselves and I think this aspect of offending is not understood nor appreciated by most people and particularly the right wing press. Unless treated or the hurt in some way excised, anger, loathing and hatred can be focused in many directions, including to others, society in general or towards themself ultimately. Reckless behaviour, a spiral of depression and decline, self harm or suicide are all real possibilities for this group and what began with a very poor childhood can so often turn into a much bleaker adulthood. Into this situation step probation officers, ready to try and apply sticking plaster to some very deep wounds on occasion.

For all these and numerous other reasons, I still feel probation officers should be social work trained and preferably educated 'in the round'  by a degree of experience that hopefully can help prepare them for the responsibility, stress and inevitable failures that will occur during their career.