Mission Impossible? The professionalisation of Austrian probation between desistance and "what works". (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hofinger, Veronika
• Is Part Of: European journal of probation. Volume 11:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Cognitive behavioural programme -- desistance -- probation -- professionalisation -- recidivism -- risk -- what works; Probation -- Europe -- Periodicals; 364.6309405
• DOI: 10.1177/2066220319852372
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2066-2203

Abstract

Over the last few years, desistance research has gained importance as an alternative to the risk-based "what works" approach. When significant proponents speak of a new desistance-paradigm arising, it has to be borne in mind that their analyses focus mainly on the practice of probation in the UK where dramatic restructuring and cost-cutting were implemented under the "what works" label. This paper presents the results of a research project investigating the implementation of a cognitive behavioural programme in probation in Austria. This programme, developed on the basis of "what works" and Risk-Need-Responsivity ("RNR")-principles, is assessed from a desistance perspective. Probationers themselves reflect on what helped them to "go straight" and what role the programme played in the desistance process. It is shown that the "what works"- and the desistance-perspective may complement each other under specific circumstances, even if certain conceptual differences remain.