The Impact of Probation and Parole Officers' Attitudes about Offenders on Professional Practices. Issue 4 (7th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schaefer, Lacey; Williams, Gemma C.
• Is Part Of: Corrections. Volume 5:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 274
• Page End: 291
• Publication Date: 2020-08-07
• Subjects: Probation and parole -- case management -- assessment -- attitudes toward offenders -- professional discretion -- professional override; Punishment -- United States -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.60973
• DOI: 10.1080/23774657.2018.1538710
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2377-4657

Abstract

ABSTRACT: There is a large literature examining public attitudes toward offenders, but fewer studies have examined the perceptions held by criminal justice actors about the clients with whom they work. This study addresses this gap through a survey of probation and parole staff, measuring how their attitudes toward offenders influence supervision strategies, role orientations, job burnout and stress, and the use of case management tools. Results indicate that probation and parole staff who are generally pessimistic about offenders are more compliant with assessment and case management tools, whereas officers who are optimistic about offenders' ability to change are more likely to be noncompliant with the data entry process in the completion of risk and needs instruments.