Constructive Work with Offenders

Constructive Work with Offenders offers a challenge to many of the assumptions of criminal justice policy and the dominant approaches to practice. The contributors advocate an emphasis on constructive work with offenders that harnesses their positive strengths and resources, and offers inclusive approaches to effective offender assessment and intervention. Taking a fresh look at much received knowledge, they proclaim that constructive work with offenders is both possible and increasingly warranted, and encourage practitioners to develop new skills and adapt existing expertise to the rapidly changing requirements of the criminal justice system. This book will be of interest to practitioners, trainers, managers, and researchers in the criminal justice system, as well as academics and students in the field of criminology and related disciplines.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements. Contributors. Prologue, Jeremy Cameron. 1. Constructive Work with `Offenders': Setting the Scene, Kevin Gorman, Patrick O'Byrne and Nigel Parton. 2. Collaborative and Constructive Frontline Practice with Offenders in a Climate of `Tough Love' and `Third Way' Politics, Bill Jordan. 3. The Offender as Citizen: Socially Inclusive Strategies for Working with Offenders Within the Community, Marilyn Gregory. 4. Constructing Safety: A Collaborative Approach to Managing Risk and Building Responsibility, Michelle Hayles. 5. The Constructive Use of Courtroom Skills and Enforcement to Achieve Client Co-operation and Change, Geoff Kenure. 6. Constructing a Convincing Narrative: The Art of Persuasive Storytelling within the Tight Constraints of Formal Pre-sentence Assessments for the Criminal Courts, Kevin Gorman. 7. Dangerous Constructions: Black Offenders in the Criminal Justice System, Lena Dominelli. 8. Constructive Work with Women Offenders - A Probation in Prison Perspective, Sue Carless. 9. Constructive Work with Male Sex Offenders: Male Forms of Life, Language Games and Change, Malcolm Cowburn. 10. Dispensing With Justice: Young People's Views of the Criminal Justice System, Monica Barry. 11. Offenders `R' Us, Marilyn Gregory with Kevin Gorman, Michelle Hayles and Nigel Parton. Epilogue, Jeremy Cameron. Index.

About the Author :
Kevin Gorman is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Huddersfield, where he contributes to degree courses in Applied Criminology, Social Work, and Police Studies. He was a probation officer for over 25 years and has been heavily involved in practice development and practice teaching, including the training of probation officers. Marilyn Gregory teaches in crime, abuse and public protection at the University of Sheffield, having spent 16 years in the Probation Service. She worked as a main grade officer in a former mining community; as a prison based officer; a court welfare officer, and as a specialist practice teacher, teaching students initially on the Diploma in Social Work and latterly the Diploma in Probation Studies. Michelle Hayles is a Senior Lecturer in Community Justice at the University of Huddersfield where she has leadership responsibilities for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Criminology and for an innovative Foundation Degree in Police Studies. She worked for 12 years as a probation officer in a range of community contexts and in a women's prison, and she managed a Home Office Student Training Unit. Nigel Parton is Professor in Child Care and Director of the Centre of Applied Childhood Studies at the University of Huddersfield. He has a particular interest in the area of child protection. He was co-editor of the journal Children and Society for ten years and co-edited Constructing Clienthood in Social Work and Human Services (2003), also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Review :
This refreshingly open and honest collection of contributions highlights a 'get back to basics' approach towards work with offenders... The essence of the book explores the treatment avenues open to professionally qualified probation officers. This thorough and well annotated collection of constructive treatment programmes contained within this book focus attention on the high level of commitment and skills shown by various professionals... The book reaffirms a commitment towards these ideals and attempts successfully to offer an alternative to the purely enforcement and control models. This book contains many valuable chapters that will give food for thought to current and aspiring practitioners. It would also provide a useful source of ideas for training and research. It succeeds in its aim of providing renewed impetus to a vitally important politically sensitive area of work. Working within the criminal justice system can leave practitioners feeling pretty jaundiced at times so it is refreshing to find a book that offers a new perspective... The main purpose of this book seems to be to invoke thought and encourage reflection on current practice, and in this endeavour it certainly succeeds. This book is rich in research into a great variety of criminal aspects including criminals in the courtroom. It is likely to be of particular value to those working with the courts: probation officers, forensic psychologists, social workers and others. A thoughtful, engaged and timely collection of stories designed to to awaken, challenge and assist those engaged in the complexitythat is contemporary probation practice.