Thursday 29 December 2016

Probation 50's-style



Thanks go to regular contributor 'Getafix' for spotting that in late January 2017 Network are releasing on DVD the 12 oldest surviving episodes of the 1959 ATV drama series 'Probation Officer', with the complete episode above available to view on YouTube as a taster. I also notice that the pre-release price is £18. This from the Network website:-

An early hit for ATV, this absorbing, rigorously researched and very human drama series centres on the work of a team of probation officers based in London, and the lives of the men and women of all ages and backgrounds who come under their care. Drawing on the documentary skills of creator Julian Bond and produced by Emergency – Ward 10’s Antony Kearey, Probation Officer was broadcast at a time – a time when the service was increasingly coming into focus as a progressive response to rising crime.

Future Doomwatch star John Paul stars as newcomer Philip Main, alongside The Avengers’ Honor Blackman as Iris Cope, the team’s only female officer. Guests include Alfred Burke, Susan Hampshire, Charles Lloyd Pack, Richard Vernon and Peter Vaughan – while Earl Cameron and Lloyd Reckord star in a blistering tale of racism and intolerance which features one of the earliest interracial kisses ever broadcast on British television.

Probation Officer does not exist complete in the archive - this volume contains the twelve earliest surviving episodes from series one.


--oo00oo--

This from the Cherished Television website:-


Probation Officer began in 1959 on ATV (Associated Television) and ran until 1962. The hour-long episodes use a semi-documentary format and deal with the problems encountered on a daily basis by the probation service professionals. Three of the main characters in the series are, Philip Main (John Paul), Margaret Weston (Jessica Spencer), and Bert Bellman (John Scott).


John Paul stars as probation officer Philip Main from the very first episode broadcast in September 1959. Another regular cast member from the early days of the series is John Scott (probation officer Bert Bellman). Jessica Spencer (probation officer Margaret Weston) joined the series in the latter part of 1960. Also in the regular team is probation officer Steven Ryder(Bernard Brown).

The series embraces the work of various law enforcement agencies empowered to punish all types of crime and general law-breaking in the UK. The early series are set in and around an assizes court, with later episodes focusing on the juvenile court system, followed by the work carried out by the magistrate's courts. Although the series is intended as entertainment, it does wherever possible focus on important problems encountered not only by probation officers but also by the general public.

One of the episodes of Probation Officer is about a man who tries to assist a young lady who is receiving the unwanted attention of three young thugs on an underground train, but while the other passengers are held back the would-be knight-in-shining-armour is savagely beaten-up. As a consequence of his injuries the man loses his job because he is unable to work, thus illustrating the fact that although it is everyone's duty to be vigilant and help a fellow citizen if possible, if any injury is sustained in the process the government can give no financial assistance.

Probation Officer gained the unusual distinction for a television series by having one episode shown to a group of peers in the House of Lords. The life peer Lord Stonham described the series as "a valuable social service" and in a statement published in a television magazine during the original run of the series, Lord Stonham says "Probation Officer does not preach, because you would not listen. But, while you watch these fascinating stories of other people's troubles, you get a picture painted with pinpoint accuracy of our penal system and its fault." He continues "It [Probation Officer] plays a leading part in persuading the nation to try to make good citizens of those who would otherwise be lost and enables those who have broken the law and paid the price, to find themselves again."

The writer of the early scripts of Probation officer and creator of the characters Philip Main and Bert Bellman is Julian Bond. Before commencing work on the scripts, Julian Bond spent three months researching into exactly what the work of the probation service involves. Bond, who also wrote some of the later scripts for the series, visited courtrooms, met with probation officers and those in the officers' care. The character of Philip Main is a composite of several probation officers Julian Bond met in the course of his research.


Postscript 31/12/16

Sadly, it looks like Network have become irritated with the numbers of people looking at the free episode and have taken it off YouTube. Strange that - you'd think they'd be pleased with the free publicity and possible sales of the DVD.  

23 comments:

  1. An interesting racial plot and it reminds me that racism is still a human condition we need to be ever mindful of. I noticed these POs did something called lunch in their working day? And smoked in their offices and were out and about in their communities even on non - statutory matters. The modern PO I am guessing does not do lunch, is not embedded in the community and probably does not spend much time with their cases given the demands of bureaucracy. I was always shocked by how much time I spent keying information into the computer compared to meaningful time spent with my cases. Their is an ideal ground somewhere between these points I imagine.

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  2. On occasions the film " I believe in you " starring Celiac Johnson and Cecil Parker gets an airing on television. It's a 1952 film depicting the life of Probation staff. I've always felt that the title reflects the values and attitudes of Probation staff.

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    1. Yes a nice reminder - see blog post from 22nd April 2014

      http://probationmatters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/i-believe-in-you_22.html

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  3. I have that video 'I believe in you'. I first saw it as a DIPSW student 25 years ago, when our tutor,- a senior PO with a large heart, on a 2 year secondment to Durham,- played a large portion of it to us. Although some students smiled, and some laughed, we agreed that it illustrated the common sense 'advise, assist and befriend' message, that Probation still aimed for,, but sadly too soon to go, long before TR.

    I so wanted to see the whole film, and was delighted when a PO friend told me he had a copy, but in his clear out when he moved house, it appeared that he had accidentally cleared that out too.

    Eventually I retired, but never forgot. Then after a couple of years of talking to my family about this inspirational piece of work, all the more precious following the advent of the aliens CG and TR, they scoured the vintage films on-line and I finally got my wish, 4 Christmases ago, as CG was beginning to spread his vindictive poison. That makes this vid even more precious.

    I wonder what CG and his inept hangers-on would make of it!! I suspect that this weapon of mass destruction would say that the ridiculous naivety of the film just proves that he was right!!' -NOT MY WORDS!

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  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Believe_in_You_(film)

    Love the poster.

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    1. https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-323350127/representations-of-british-probation-officers-in-film

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  5. You lot think that by spending time with someone talking changes behaviour. Reoffending rates in the 80s and 90s was through the roof despite all the "talking" you did. Probation is now run like a business and rightly so. Movements prove where people are and no more hanging around in cafes and wasting time smoking. Also proper record keeping. Past makes my blood boil. It's better now.

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    1. "you lot think". Opening a sentence in such a fashion suggests a fair level of hostility, and not a particulary good grasp on the English language.
      Maybe you could advance the Criminal Justice System by letting everyone know what it is that you think works?
      I'm sure "you lot" would like to know as well.

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    2. 1535 - spending time with clients involves just as much time listening as talking, if not more. And clients have usually appreciated that and some have said to me that they have never before told anyone else about what they disclosed to me. And that is when they start to consider unravelling the mess they are in, to enable them to move forward. And PO's are/were there to help to address the issues. And in the 90's, records were zealously kept up to date - usually handwritten in those days, and typed up by admin. And we took a pride in our work.

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    3. If 'spending time with someone, talking', doesn't change behaviour then why do we bother with counselling? Or perhaps you think that is a waste of time as well.
      Deb

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    4. Old school probation doesn't work if it did we wouldn't be in the position we are in now. The thought of outreaching in cafes, smoking in offices, acting paly paly with offenders etc etc makes me so happy we have moved on. Asking how the football was and saying il see you next week does nothing for rehabilitation!!! You've all done this before!

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    5. I forgot to add, the only thing I'd change today is the dress code. 98 per cent of probation staff dress terribly. I'd make a shirt and tie compulsory. No denim!

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    6. Thanks for taking time to comment Chris but you've moved on to transport now...be gone with you. Ms Truss is now in charge. And. That. Is. A. Disgrace.

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    7. Uniforms? Dictate instead of engage? Tougher penalties?
      That says so much about you I'm almost tempted to ask 'what happened to you to make you so bitter'? But I won't.
      As you said previously, reoffending rates were sky high in the 80s and 90s, but the prison population more then doubled during that period also. It still grows, so I guess you'll try and convince "you lot on here" that prison works? It's the only way forward, if you can't bring the birch back.
      You're entitled to your opinions, public forum and all that, but I think they're nonsense, and I particularly dislike the way you express them, but I guess that goes with wanting Uniforms, and the desire to 'flog em all'.
      I'm pleased I'm not you.

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    8. 15:59 no point in moaning about the phrase you lot then open in mimic might have seen this obvious critic.

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    9. Pleased youre not me... I'm glad I'm not you. If you saw my bank balance, youd eat your words. Stay of the port as you're making no sense.

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    10. ML too much AND And and and you going off about pride. I have read a lot of that old stuff typed by secretaries and it was as poorly written then as your blurb is now.
      That black and white portrayal of why the class ridden social rot in London was something like the worst times still remain although less obvious the underlying identities are there in all the probation throw back nonsense you seem to hanker for. Not a chance will that return thank our stars.

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    11. Boom. A man or women who talks sense. ML has been destroyed.

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    12. 23:36 are you in the right blog chuck the cryptic crosswords are on google. Glad you have some money though earn it off the backs of the maladjusted work you do to those less than able offenders did you writing down your notes so another would type them up for you zealous like as described above.

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    13. It's over. I've proved my point and won. Things are better now than in the 50s to 2014. Next topic.

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    14. "If you saw my bank balance, youd eat your words".
      Even proper gobshites can have a few quid. It's always the tabloid educated that thinks 'loads of dough' makes them important though.
      Everyone tips their hat and laughs at their jokes, but thinks what a dick head they really are.
      And what a life of privilege your bank balance has brought you eh. Nearly midnight on a Friday night, and all you can find to do is sit at a computer and take cheap shoots at other people. If I'd have known that's what money brought, I may have tried harder.

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    15. to 23 40. That is very kind of you to point out my poor grammar. I agree that all those 'ands' may not be grammatically correct, but, along with commas, they allow the comment to flow, with a pause to take in each different point.

      Sadly, this is unlike you, 23 40, who has written a 5 line sentence with no commas or full stops, so no pause to enable the reader to pick out where one point ends and the next one begins. And- (there I go again)- I initially did not find it easy to make sense of what you said.

      But,given the informality of the blog comments, are we really bothered about the lack of punctuation, bad grammar, poor spelling and typos? Or do we accept that, as part of the flavour of the Blog, as long as they are not too indecipherable? ...

      YOU DECIDE..

      Have I now bored you to death, 23 40; and everyone else??



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    16. Boring indeed. I think 23:40 makes an important comment in the latter half and attacking the grammar on a blog post takes us all nowhere. I would want to see what can be understood from what I understood that class and an underlying values system its what is wrong in probation.

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