There's nothing quite like finding someone or something that chimes perfectly with your own particular beliefs! Once again I'm grateful to Mike Guilfoyle for pointing me in the direction of the recent inaugural lecture by Professor Mike Nash at Portsmouth University. A former probation officer, he has written extensively on many aspects of the criminal justice system and particularly the probation service and risk assessment.
'A reassurance con?' is a refreshingly candid canter through the fine mess we've created in the form of a supposed 'world-leading' risk assessment system lovingly known to us all as Mappa. With forensic detail he describes a burgeoning bureaucracy whose success is highly equivocal, consumes a vast amount of resources, has taken our eye off the ball and encouraged a false expectation on the part of the public. He makes the stark point that whilst the mantra is 'resouces follow risk', in actuality 80% of Serious Further Offences are committed by low or medium risk offenders being supervised by less experienced and unqualified staff. In other words it's been a mistake to concentrate PO's expertise on high risk clients exclusively.
It's music to my ears when Prof Nash bemoans the lack of home visits, use of video links and basic getting to know your clients. These are all essential elements that should form the basis for real risk assessments, instead of 'data collection' for the damned computer OAsys. In short this lecture makes for refreshing academic confirmation of much I've been trying to say on here over the last couple of years. There's a lot in it and all grumpy probation officers would be well-advised to give it some attention.
Thanks for highlighting Jim, perfectly echoes my beliefs too! how depressing, a fine mess, where and how will this end? Im 10 years in and sick of getting politically kicked from pillar to post - the jargon alone does my head in - people defined as categories, levels, risk factors - trying to simplify what are in the main deeply complex social issues/failings that can only be tackled by truly understanding and knowing what the issues are. We have been reduced to superficially, robotically managing 'stereotype dangerousness' by ever more punitive measures instead of being encouraged to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty (getting to know individuals). As an eternal optimist, am hanging on in there trying to work within the political maze - and feeling like a silent non conformist by forging meaningful relationships which REALLY works to reduce offending and harm.
ReplyDeleteWhether the development of third generation statistical risk assessment models has worked - that is, reduced reoffending - is surely a matter of determinable fact?
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, actuarial tools and the bureaucracy that flows from them have stripped away the remnants of humanity and decency that luked in criminal justice. Far from being "people", we are now reduced to being bundles of criminogenic needs.