Power, Knowledge and `What Works' in Probation

Author: Robinson, Gwen¹

Source: Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 40, Number 3, August 2001 , pp. 235-254(20)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

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Abstract:

This article examines the implications of the quest for knowledge of `what works' in the context of probation, both at the level of professional practice and the broader level of the power base of the service as a whole. It is argued that the pursuit of knowledge of `what works' in probation practice has had interesting and paradoxical implications for the probation service and its personnel, being associated with increasing credibility, whilst also exposing the service to a number of risks. The article concludes that the paradox of `what works' has been magnified by its appropriation by the political centre in the form of the Effective Practice Initiative and, more recently, the `what works' programme.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/1468-2311.00205

Affiliations: 1: Centre for Applied Social Studies, University of Wales, Swansea

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