Effective Supervision of Young Offenders

Abstract

A lot has been written about what works in interventions with offenders (e.g. Andrews and Bonta 2008; McIvor and Raynor 2008; McNeill et al. 2010). In recent years there have also been a small number of studies focusing on what works in the routine supervision of offenders on probation. This is the focus of this chapter, which draws on the findings of a study that was conducted in New South Wales, Australia. The terminology for ‘probation’ and who delivers probation supervision varies. The term probation is used in this article to refer to community-based supervision whether it relates to probation orders, parole orders, supervised bonds or other legal community-based orders which involve supervision. Similarly, the term ‘probation officer’ is used to refer to probation officers, community corrections officers, parole officers, juvenile justice workers or counsellors, or others who supervise offenders in the community under court orders.