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Discrimination and Anti-discrimination in Probation (From Working With Offenders: Issues, Contexts and Outcomes, P 51-75, 1996, Tim May and Antony A. Vass, eds. - See NCJ- 161178)

NCJ Number
161181
Author(s)
D Denney
Date Published
1996
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Issues and theoretical positions are discussed that relate to corrections policies and have a direct bearing on the development of anti-discriminatory practices in probation in England and Wales.
Abstract
Policies against discrimination were developed, promoted, and formulated within probation training under the auspices of the Central Council for Training in Social Work (CCETSW). Its Paper 30, published in 1991, requires all qualifying social workers to demonstrate the ability to understand and counteract the impact of stigma and discrimination on the basis of poverty, age, disability, and religion. However, developing antidiscriminatory training in an atmosphere of change, uncertainty, and media's tendency to label such developments as politically correct provides a major challenge for probation trainers and managers. Equal opportunity statements partially recognize the oppressive position of some probation user groups, but practice does not coherently reflect stated intentions. A reactive rather than proactive managerial approach has led to the temporary targeting of particular groups, while the needs of others are consistently ignored. Thus, discrimination faced by homosexual and disabled people appears to remain unaddressed and virtually unresearched in the probation service. Policies related to black people and women appear weak and apparently contradictory. A desire for change and efforts to address the meaning of quality service and user rights is essential to ending institutionalized discriminatory practices. 91 references