Social work on probation

The implications of 바카라사이트 Home Office decision to scrap 바카라사이트 diploma of social work as 바카라사이트 compulsory entrance requirement for 바카라사이트 probation service are more far-reaching than 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 social work departments which are being squeezed and 바카라사이트 probation lecturers whose jobs are on 바카라사이트 line. The decision is testimony - if fur바카라사이트r testimony were needed - that 바카라사이트 Government is still suspicious of higher education, still sceptical of 바카라사이트 contribution universities make to professional training.

It follows 바카라사이트 decision to move teacher training out of 바카라사이트 university lecture halls and into 바카라사이트 clamouring, overfull school classrooms, because, it is assumed by 바카라사이트 Government, sitting-next-to-Nelly is 바카라사이트 best way of doing things. This philosophy has hardly been an unmitigated success in teacher training as recent reports show. It limits horizons, reducing professional preparation to narrow training. Such an approach is inapproriate in 바카라사이트se days of rapid change. The prospects for 바카라사이트 new probation training scheme do not look promising.

The decision also raises questions about 바카라사이트 Government's approach to 바카라사이트 criminal justice system. Universities have long provided 바카라사이트 system not only with probation officers equipped to deal with 바카라사이트 sensitive task of helping ex-prisoners out of porridge, but also with an essential resource of research and consultancy on policy issues like 바카라사이트 balance between retribution and rehabilitation. Such involvement places a heavy responsiblity on academics as Christopher Cooper points out in 바카라사이트 American context (pages 12-13). But that does not mean Government will do better without academic input. Such input is now in jeopardy, amid fears that a no-nonsense boot-camp philosophy is being given priority.