tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post6220336980703728011..comments2024-03-28T20:12:43.003+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: Nothing NewJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-11249533472176105982017-08-05T02:50:41.859+01:002017-08-05T02:50:41.859+01:00It's impossible to do anything other than sit ...It's impossible to do anything other than sit at a computer screen filling in endless sidfing firms and trying to manipulate a totally shitty archaic computer system that, has happened twice today, kicked me out. This resulted in 2 calls to IT, answered by people who due to language barriers, we're difficult tonubderstabd, thus making the calls even longer.... aaaggghhh. When are we supposed to work with the people we write about? I absolutely hate it. 15 years service, cannot believe that it is getting worse not better. Why on earth is this shit allowed to continue?<br />ed in twiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-4402424018971629392017-08-05T02:42:31.733+01:002017-08-05T02:42:31.733+01:00A lot to be said on this but the genie is out of t...A lot to be said on this but the genie is out of the bottle the profession as was a care and social ethos has long gone. We need to re establish social justice values and rid the culture of just deserts and the punishment loyalist group of senior management. They have destroyed any structures that centred the development of the individual. The notion of PO as all status and in charge again could never get the support of the cheaper PSO structure. Either we have to see a new order that is modern and forward thinking that includes all the skills and talents of the remaining staff, or we continue the decline as the infighting for top roles and authority will continue. We have to get the snobbery of the NPS levelled if CRC staff have a home back in high risk and professional practice is redeveloped. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-66973074758449711172017-08-04T21:38:26.225+01:002017-08-04T21:38:26.225+01:00Yes please Jim. Now might be a good time to start...Yes please Jim. Now might be a good time to start some conversations about what an ideal probation service would look like from a practitioners viewpoint: I fancy it might become a must-read for those who are starting to scratch their heads about what to do with probation and how to address the utter mess its in. Nobody NOBODY involved at any level thinks it is working well, or that TR is a success, or even defensible<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-5264247957587739732017-08-04T20:07:39.886+01:002017-08-04T20:07:39.886+01:00The piece I quote from another blog is not quite f...The piece I quote from another blog is not quite fair because I would say I've always been in at the forefront of innovative practice and was lucky enough to be able to build on many innovations of earlier officers. <br /><br />There was a time when management encouraged innovation and actively supported it with resources, but this was gradually squeezed out with the coming of National Standards and increasing bureaucratisation. Moving away from 'Advise, assist and befriend' just accelerated things, but it was possible for officers to keep to the ethos for years covertly. <br /><br />TR has pretty much made practice as many of us know it impossible, hence the rush for the escape routes. Only yesterday I learnt of yet another excellent officer who has thrown in the towel, utterly beaten down by the current situation imposed on us by shit politicians who know fuck all about our work and are completely unaccountable.<br /><br />The archives on here contain a lot of good stuff about practice, much contributed by others and if time allows over the coming months, I intend to experiment with posts that attempt to dig some of the best out. Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-19946612859428263412017-08-04T19:14:29.022+01:002017-08-04T19:14:29.022+01:00Thanks Jim. For what it's worth, I miss that c...Thanks Jim. For what it's worth, I miss that content on day to day practice and wish we could see more of it. There are many of us with 10ish years in service who look around our workplaces now only to find were the old hands. I really value and miss the experience that's been drained away and would love to hear from those of you with that perspective on how you navigate some of today's crap.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-25267230359990443472017-08-04T18:54:14.714+01:002017-08-04T18:54:14.714+01:00The Blog morphed into a campaign against TR and it...The Blog morphed into a campaign against TR and it's continued to focus on trying to help fly a flag for a profession that sadly is still completely misunderstood and could be in terminal decline. <br /><br />Until some other person or agency emerges to effectively champion the profession, the plan is to keep this running as a platform for informed debate, information sharing and an historical record.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-57456257974882444762017-08-04T18:30:56.443+01:002017-08-04T18:30:56.443+01:00Why did you stop posting about your own practice J...Why did you stop posting about your own practice Jim? Did you find an escape hatch?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-90888605946257254112017-08-04T15:52:58.097+01:002017-08-04T15:52:58.097+01:00In Skills for Effective Engagement, Development an...In Skills for Effective Engagement, Development and Supervision (SEEDS) at the very centre of the model was the Relationship which focussed on, amongst other things, building rapport. It is in any setting that aims to facilitate change, fundamental. The evidence is clear. <br />Innovation that helps support the relationship and the collaboration that can then follow is what is needed. Innovation that seeks primarily to do things on the cheap, that makes the relationship distant and less tangible is just cost cutting and backward. We can be innovative about where the primary relationship lies and to my mind this means taking considered opportunities to divert people away from the criminal justice system and from prison by investment in community alternatives and sentences respectively. Even so this will require thoughtful investment in resources, joined up and integrated efforts and training to be of useful consequence. This still leaves Probation Officers needing the training, supervision and the time to engage successfully with the people they are supervising. I cannot see another formula beyond this if the idea of public protection, rehabilitation, reduced offending and fewer victims is to be properly valued. <br />I remain hopeful that Probation will see an increased investment based on the belief that the arguments for this are becoming increasingly compelling if not yet officially acknowledged.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com