Introduction

Probation values have proved somewhat elusive in recent years. While the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and Probation Trusts have values statements, it is evident that there has been limited discussion of what they mean for practice. The key question posed in this chapter is what value a clear understanding of a professional value base for practice and the different strands to the values debate have in supporting the professional development of probation practitioners. Here, the particular focus is on practitioners undertaking the qualifying programmes for probation officers (often now termed ‘offender managers’ [OMs]).

The theme running throughout the chapters in this book is that of ‘sides’. Becker (1967) and, more recently, Liebling (2001) both reference the notion of ‘sides’ and analyse the implications of whose ‘side’ you might be ‘on’ as a researcher of crime and criminal justice agencies, respectively. Although the roles discussed in this chapter are not those of researchers, there is much in their work that is relevant to the debate about probation values and their context that may offer a differing perspective, and one that helps to illuminate the relationships between the organisation, practitioners and those under supervision. The issue of ‘sides’ has never been more pertinent to the consideration of the values for professional practice than in the current political context (MOJ, 2013). This chapter explores the current debates about values, the different levels at which values need to be considered and how they impact on professional development. It also explores how theorising about ‘sides’ may support the learner in developing their understanding and identifying a value base for professional practice in turbulent times.

Where are we now with ‘probation values’?

The debate about values in probation occurs in the context of an increasingly challenging environment, both outside and within the service. The broader economic and political climate of penal policy has seen a shift towards a more pecuniary approach to the measurement of performance and success, and a progressively more punitive emphasis in criminal justice interventions (MOJ, 2012a, 2012b, 2013). Growing resource pressures, the introduction of a competitive market and the complex demands on Probation Trusts to deliver public protection and value for money, all contribute to the various demands on practitioners.