Public Enemies

Well, after a false start caused by the Stephen Lawrence verdicts it's finally arrived - a serious attempt at a probation drama. As Harry Fletcher from NAPO says, it's been a long-time coming since the last attempt 'Hard Cases' in the late 80's. I certainly cringed when I first got wind of the intended story line that involved a sexual relationship between young female officer and released 'lifer', but Harry reckons to have significantly altered the plot line to more accurately reflect true life. We'll have to wait to the end to find out, but surely for there to be any point in drama, it must reflect reality mustn't it?

Writing about probation by non-practitioners must be peculiarly difficult as it is so uncommon, and yet insiders have always known that the potential plot lines are vast and all-encompassing. We know author Tony Marchant had some help from NAPO and we're all smart enough to understand that in telling a story for tv you have to indulge in some 'compression' and even suspension of belief, but I really think the public needs to know that hell freezing over is rather more likely than a lifer being released to the area where the offence was committed. Yes I know it's an essential element of this plot-line and it will therefore serve the purpose of underlining just how sensible a policy it is when viewers see the mayhem caused by not following it. I just didn't want people thinking we really were generally that stupid.

As always, insiders will probably laugh and cringe in equal measure - did you see the size of that 'lifer' file? - and how about that interview for a first meeting? But this is tv drama and sadly I am familiar with some officers who might be better placed career-wise in an interrogation unit in some other government agency. It's not impossible to imagine a change of officer at the very point of release as any of us could succumb to a nasty accident, but I think most of us would hope that any officer finding themselves in such a situation really would put a bit more effort into building a rapport with their new client!

It would be nit-picking to point out things like a lifer would only be released from an open prison and would have already stayed at the hostel on ROTL, Release on Temporary Licence. I think the key thing for me has to be the degree to which a member of the public would be able to understand what is going on and the reasons for it. Realistically one episode, let alone three, cannot hope to capture the sheer breadth of issues and factors probation officers have to deal with on a daily basis. The stresses and strains, together with the subtleties and nuances of continually having to balance the needs for risk management and public protection with rehabilitation and positive development in their client. I think that's going to mean the BBC commissioning at least another series. 

Oh, and finally the cliff-hanger that Eddie is in fact innocent and took the rap for someone else is going to get a lot of prison officers laughing their socks off - I can hear them now "we've got whole wings who say that in here!"