Written in a narrative style, the book is intended for judges, court administrators, police, corrections personnel, as well as probation and parole officers. Among the areas examined are the dangers of being either a novice or a veteran in the probation system and the occupational hazards, including marital stress and potentially violent clients, which often result in officer 'burn-out.' The issues of professionalism, public image, fragmentation, and duplication are discussed. A portrayal of the administrative conflicts and economic dilemmas of the bureaucracy of the probation system is presented. Case histories and anecdotes reveal the tragic and comic facets of the juvenile justice system. The art of office and departmental correspondence is satirized, and the probationer's perspective is projected.