Work Ideologies of Juvenile Probation Officers: The Effects of Individual Characteristics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52935/23.10514.8Keywords:
juvenile probation officers, work ideologies, individual characteristicsAbstract
Probation is the oldest and most widely used community-based corrections program. Research on probation primarily focuses on the experiences of justice-involved juveniles and the supervision of juveniles in the probation system. Much less is understood about the impact probation officers' perceptions have on job performance and what factors influence those perceptions. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between individual characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race, level of education, tenure, political party affiliation, and jurisdiction) and juvenile probation officers' perceptions about their work ideology. Data for the study came from a sample of juvenile probation officers in nine states. Participants were asked questions about sanctioning, disposition, and role orientation. The study's findings show that few individual characteristics are significantly associated with attitudes/perceptions about work ideology. Probation officers’ race was the only predictor significantly associated with several outcomes. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
References
Anderson, E. & Spanier, G. (1980). Treatment of delinquent youth. Criminology, 17(4), 505-514. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1980.tb01314.x
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2018). Juvenile probation. http://www.aecf.org.
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1977). Attitude-behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin, 84(5), 888-918. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.84.5.888
Atkins, B. (1974). Opinions assignment on the United States court of appeals: The question of issue specialization. Western Political Quarterly, 27, 409-428.
Atkins, B., & Green, J. (1976). Consensus on the United States court of appeals: Illusion or reality? American Journal of Political Science, 20, 735-748. https://doi.org/10.2307/2110569
Atkins, B., & Zavonia, W. (1974). Judicial leadership on the court of appeals: A probability analysis of panel assignment in race relations cases on the fifth circuit. American Journal of Political Science, 18, 701-711.
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1977). Attitude-behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin, 84(5), 888-918. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.84.5.888
Bazemore, G. (2009). The Expansion of Punishment and the Restriction of Justice: Loss of Limits in Retributive Policy and the Restorative Justice Alternative (ussc.gov).
Bazemore, G. (2007). The expansion of punishment and the shrinkage of justice: The need for a new vision. Social Research, 74(2): 651-663
Bazemore, G., Dicker, T., & Al-Gadheeb, H. (1994). The treatment ideal and detention reality: Demographic, professional/occupational, and organizational influences on detention worker punitiveness. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 19, 21-41. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887437
Benekos, P. J. (1990). Beyond Reintegration: Community corrections in a retributive era. Federal Probation, 54(2), 550-557. 123151NCJRS.pdf (ojp.gov)
Bernard, T. J. (1992). The cycle of juvenile justice. New York: Oxford University Press.
Bishop, E., & Frazier, C. (1996). Race effects in juvenile justice decision-making: Findings of a statewide analysis. Journal of Criminal law and Criminology, 86, 392-414.
Blevins, K.R., Cullen, F. T., & Sundt. J. L. (2007). The correctional orientation of “Child Savers'': Support for rehabilitation and punishment among juvenile correctional workers. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 45(3), 47-83. https://doi.org/10.1300/J076v45n03_03
Bolin, R. M., & Applegate, B. K. (2018). Supervising juveniles and adults: Organizational context, professional orientations, and probation and parole officer behavior. Journal of Crime and Justice, 41(4), 410-426. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2018.1440616
Brigham, J., & Wrightsman, L. (1982). Contemporary issues in social psychology. Monterey, CA: Brooks and Cole.
Carter, R. M. (1966). It is respectfully recommended. Federal Probation, 30(2), 38-42.
Carter, R., & Wilkins, L. (1967). Some factors in sentencing policy. Journal of Criminal law, Criminology and Police Science. 58, 503-514.
Clear, T. R., & Latessa, E. J. (1993). Probation officers’ role in intensive supervision: Surveillance versus treatment. Justice Quarterly, 10, 441-462.
Colley, L., Culbertson, R., & Latessa, E. (1986). Probation officers job analysis: Rural-urban differences. Federal Probation, 50(4), 67-71.
Colley, L, Culbertson, R., & Latessa, E. (1987). Juvenile probation officers: A job analysis. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 38(3), 1-12.
Cullen, F. T., & Cullen J. B. (1987). Sources of judicial attitudes toward criminal sanctioning. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 11, 151-164. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02885653
Cullen, F. T., Lutze, F. E., Link, B.G., & Wolfe, N. T. (1989). The correctional orientation of prison guards: Do officers support rehabilitation? Federal Probation, 53(1), 33-42.
Curtis, M. S. (1991). Attitude toward the death penalty as it relates to political party affiliation, religious belief, and faith in people. Free Inquiry in Creative Sociology, 19(2), 205-212. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_4009
D'Angelo, J. M. (2000). Juvenile court judges' perceptions of what factors affect juvenile offenders' likelihood of rehabilitation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, American University, College of Arts and Sciences.
D'Angelo, J. M. (2007a). The complex nature of juvenile court judges' transfer decisions: A study of judicial attitudes. The Social Science Journal, 44, 147-159.
D'Angelo, J. M. (2007b). Juvenile court judges' attitudes toward waiver decisions in Indiana. Professional Issues in Criminal Justice, 2(2).
Dembo, R. (1972). Orientation and activities of the parole officer. Criminology, 10, 193-215. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1972.tb00554.x
Dir, A. L., Saldana, L., Chapman, J. E., & Aalsam, M. C. (2019). Burnout and mental health stigma among juvenile probation officers: The moderating effect of participatory atmosphere. Administration and Policy Mental Health, 46(2), 167-174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-018-0902-x
Donnellan, M. C., & Moore, H. A. (1979). Rehabilitation and protection: The goals and orientations of probation and parole workers. Offender Rehabilitation, 3(3), 207-218. https://doi.org/10.1300/J418v03n03_03
Erikson, R.S., & Luttbeg, N.R. (1973). American public opinion: Its origins, content, and impact. New York: Wiley. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351034746
Farnworth, M., Frazier, C., & Neuberger, A. (1988). Orientations to juvenile justice: Exploratory notes from a state-wide survey of juvenile justice decision makers. Journal of Criminal Justice, 16, 477-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2352(88)90079-7
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Feld, B. C. (1991). Justice by geography: Urban, suburban, and rural variations in juvenile justice administration. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 82, 156-210.
Frazier, C., Brock, E., & Henretta, J. (1983). The role of probation officers in determining gender differences in sentencing severity. The Sociological Quarterly, 24, 305-318.
Fulton, B., Stichman, A., Travis, L. R., & Latessa, E. J. (1997). Moderating probation and parole officer attitudes to achieve desired outcomes. The Prison Journal, 77(3), 295-312.https://doi.org/10.1177/0032855597077003005
Gibson, J. L. (1978). Judges' role orientations, attitudes, and decisions: An interactive model. The American Political Science Review, 72(3), 911-924. https://doi.org/10.2307/1955111
Goldman, S. (1975). Voting behavior on the U.S. courts of appeals revisited. American Political Science Review, 69, 491-506.
Gordon, J. A. (1999). Do staff attitudes vary by position? A look at one juvenile correctional center. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 24(1), 81-93. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887619
Griffin, P. & Torbet P. (2002) Desktop guide to good juvenile probation practices. National Center for Juvenile Justice.
Gruhl, J., Spohn, C., & Welch, S. (1981). Women as policymakers: The case of trial judges. American Journal of Political Science, 25, 308-322.
Hosmer, D. W., Lemeshow, S., & Sturdivant, R. X. (2013). Applied logistic regression (3rd edition). John Wiley & Sons, Inc: Hoboken, NJ.
Howard, J. W. (1981). Courts of appeals in the federal judicial system: A study of the second, fifth, and District of Columbia circuits. Princeton: Princeton University. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400855452
Hsieh, M., Woo, Y., Hafoka, M., VanWormer, J., Stohr, M., & Hemmens, C. (2016). Assessing the current state of juvenile probation practice: A statutory analysis. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 55(5), 329-354. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/10509674.2016.1181693
Keenan, S. J. (2021). Judicial waiver decision in the tri-state area: A study of judicial perceptions. Journal of Forensic Research and Criminal Investigation, 2(2), 67-77.
Keenan, S. J., Rush, J. P., & Cheseman, K. A. (2015). Judicial waiver decision in two southern states: A study of judicial perceptions. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 40, 100-115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-014-9241-y
Krtizer, H. M., & Uhlman, T. M. (1977). Sisterhood in the courtroom: Sex of the judge and defendant in criminal case disposition. Social Science Journal, 14, 77-88.
Kurlycheck, M., Torbet, P., & Bozynski, M. (1999). Focus on accountability: Best practices for juvenile court and probation. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs. U. S. Department of Justice. Focus on Accountability: Best Practices for Juvenile Court and Probation | Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (ojp.gov)
LaPiere, R. T. (1934). Attitudes v’s actions. Social Forces, 13, 230-7. https://doi.org/10.2307/2570339
Leiber, M. J., Schwarze, K., Mack, K. Y., & Farnworth, M. (2002). The effects of occupation and education on punitive orientation among juvenile justice personnel. Journal of Criminal Justice, 30, 3003-3016.
Leifker, D. (2009). The sentencing recommendation of the probation officer. What does it really mean? Findings from one small county in California. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Nebraska, Omaha. Omaha, NE.
Lindner, C. (1994). The police contribution to the development of probation: A historical account. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 20(3), 61-84. https://doi.org/10.1300/J076v20n03_04
Lopez, V., & Russell, M. (2008). Examining the predictors of juvenile probation officers’ rehabilitation orientation. Journal of Criminal Justice, 36, 381-388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2008.07.003
Mack, K. Y., & Rhineberger-Dunn, G. (2021). Attitudes toward rehabilitation and punishment orientations among juvenile detention and probation officers. Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services. 34(2), 1-22.
Martinson, R. (1974). “What Works? Question and answers about prison reform”, The public Interest, 35, 22-54.
Miles, A. P. (1965). The reality of the probation officer’s dilemma. Federal Probation, 49(1), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azm021
Mohammand, T., & Azman, A. (2018). Probation officers and the experience of juvenile offenders in the juvenile system. Kajian Malaysia, 36(2), 69-88.
Myers, M. (1988). Social background and the sentencing behavior of judges. Criminology, 26, 649-670.
Nagel, S. (1961). Political party affiliation and judges' decisions. American Political Science Review, 55, 843-850. https://doi.org/10.2307/1952531
Norman, M. & Wadman, R. (2000). Presentence investigation reports: User group perceptions of quality and effectiveness. Federal Probation. 64, 7-12.
Pennington, D. (1986). Essential social psychology. London: Edward Arnold.
Penrod, S. (1986). Social psychology. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Petersilia, J. (1997). Probation in the United States. Crime and Justice, 22, 149-200.
Philliber, S. (1987). Thy brothers’ keeper: A review of the literature of correctional officers. Justice Quarterly, 4, 9-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418828700089171
Reese, W., Curtis, R., & Whitwork, J. (1988). Dispositional discretion or disparity: The juvenile probation officer’s role in delinquency processing. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 24(1), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886388241008
Rosecrance, J. (1987). Extralegal factors and probation presentence reports. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 3(2), 38-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/104398628700300204
Rush, C., & Robertson, J. (1987). Presentence reports: The utility of information in the sentencing decision. Law and Human Behavior, 11(2), 147-155. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1007/BF01040447
Schwartz, I. M., Shenyan, G., & Kerbs, J. J. (1993). The impact of demographic variables on public opinion regarding juvenile justice: Implications for public policy. Crime and Delinquency, 39(1), 5-28.
Schwartz, K., Alexander, A. O., Jau, K. S. Holloway, E. D., & Aalsam, M. C. (2017). Motivating compliance: Juvenile probation officer strategies and skills. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 56,(1), 20-37.
Sluder, R., & Reddington, R. (1993). An empirical examination of the work ideologies of juvenile and adult probation officers. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 20(2), 115-137. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1300/J076v20n01_08
Smith, M. D., & Wright, J. (1992). Capital punishment and public opinion in the post-Furman era: Trends and analysis. Sociological Spectrum, 12, 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.1992.9981992
Soung, P. (2022). Is juvenile probation obsolete? Reexamining and reimagining youth probation law, policy, and practice. The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 112(3), 549-591.
Stahl, A.L., Sickmund, M., Finnegan, T.A., Snyder, H.N., Poole, R.S., & Tierney, N. (1999). Juvenile Court Statistics 1996. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
StataCorp. 2021. Stata Statistical Software: Release 17. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC.
Steiner, B., Purkiss, M., Kefir, M., Roberts, E., & Hemmens, C. (2004). Legally prescribed functions of adult and juvenile probation officers: Worlds apart? Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 39(4), 47-67. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1300/J076v39n04_04
Stinchcomb, J., & Hippensteel, D. (2001). Presentence investigation reports: A relevant justice model tool or a medical model relic? Criminal Justice Policy Review, 12, 164-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403401012002004
Taylor, V. (1989). Social movement continuity: The women's movement in abeyance. American Sociological Review, 54(5), 761-775.
Torbet, P. (1997). Juvenile probation: The workhorse of the juvenile justice system. Juvenile Probation Administrators Desktop Guide, 13.
Ward, G., & Kupchik, A. (2010). What drives juvenile probation officers? Relating organizational contexts, status characteristics, and personal convictions to treatment and punishment orientations. Crime & Delinquency, 56(1), 35-69. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128707307960
Welch, S., Combs, M., & Gruhl, J. (1988). Do black judges make a difference? American Journal of Political Science, 32, 126-135.
Whitehead, J. T., & Lindquist, C. A. (1989). Determinants of correctional officers’ professional orientation, Justice Quarterly, 6, 69-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418828900090051
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
