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27 Prob. J. 1 (1980)

handle is hein.journals/probj27 and id is 1 raw text is: probation journal PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROBATION OFFICERS HON. EDITOR: BRUCE HUGMAN EDITORIAL BOARD: TO BE ELECTED Price 60p (free to members) comment At a time when percentage increases for the law and order budget are greater than those for defence, and when evidence is accumulating that there are no measures which have any significant effect on levels of offending, the experience and knowledge of the Probation Service are uniquely needed in the debate. We have every reason for asserting The conclusion is inescapable: that we can help offenders and their levels of criminal activity are a families, and that this is justified in function of the nature of society, and social and humanitarian terms. We no individualised measures will affect also have every reason for asserting those general levels. In spite of that, that we can supervise most offenders of course, it is in the nature of our in the community, at a fraction of society to demand that individualised, the cost of, and at no greater risk to moral action be taken against offen- the community than vastly more ders, however ineffective in terms of expensive and damaging custodial prevention and reconviction it may measures. be. We know that society is subject to We have, therefore, two major recurrent moral panics, and that tasks: the first is to devise humane, responses to them arc. essentially rational and cheap methods of dealing ideological and not pragmatic. The with offenders in the community; the current move to harsher, punitive second is to develop some vision of measures has at its roots a commit- how things might be, and to establish ment to punishment per. se, whatever principles and practices which will the rhetoric may suggest. It should be progressively test the reality of that exposed as such, for we know beyond vision and, possibly, even achieve all doubt that it has nothing to do aspects of it. with a commitment to, reducing crime. John Alderson-clearly the most The calm, thorough work of Michael . intelligent and thoughtful policeman Zander constantly reminds us'of these 'in- the public eye-has developed such truths. In an important article in New a vision, is evangelising through Society' (summarised with other rele- writing and speaking, and is busily vant material on the Digest page) he engaged in organising- his world in exposes as baseless most of the pursuit of it. Whatever one may feel popular myths, and leaves us in no about 'community policing', one doubt that the only rational principle must admire the man's energy and for current penal policy is financial idealism, and that he has seized upon economy: costly measures bear no a time of doubt and disillusionment as more fruit. the spur for reflection, decision and Digitized from Best Copy Available

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