How Probation Officers Leverage “Third Parties” in Offender Supervision

Abstract

The study analyzes 40 qualitative interviews with probation officers to explore how they leverage “third parties” within probationers' social networks as part of their supervision. Family members are among the most important figures engaged but are also the most challenging to work with. Other figures include friends, employers, and neighbors. Engagement to leverage support and supervision tends to rely on family members or associates close to the probationer. Engagement to leverage surveillance may rely on family members, but also tends to rely on figures with less loyalty to the probationer, or who bear a grudge towards them.

KEYWORDS:

• rehabilitation
• supervision
• surveillance
• third party

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank all of the probation officers who participated in the qualitative interviews upon which this study was based. We would also like to thank the larger group of community corrections practitioners who responded to the earlier survey, which also features in this study. Special thanks additionally go to Diane Kincaid and the staff at the APPA, who provided valuable assistance to the original survey.

Notes

Note that the term “capable guardian,” as used in this policy, does not correspond to the same term as used within routine activity theory. The latter uses this term to describe people who guard a potential crime target, not the offender. Instead, the policy more closely approximates to collaboration with a “handler,” in the language of routine activity theory (Cohen & Felson, 1979; Clarke & Eck, 2005).